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Epidemiological evaluation of anti-infective drug prescribing for children in outpatient practice
Insights
Antimicrobial drug prescribing rates in Novi Sad district were found to be high among pediatric patients. This study analyzed prescription patterns to guide interventions for improving pediatric therapeutic practices.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pharmacology
- Public Health
- Drug Utilization Research
Background:
- Previous findings indicated high antimicrobial drug prescribing rates in the Novi Sad district compared to other Yugoslavian regions.
- The study addresses the need to assess these rates specifically within the pediatric population up to 7 years of age.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate antimicrobial prescribing rates in pediatric patients (up to 7 years) in the Novi Sad district.
- To characterize physician prescribing patterns for pediatric antimicrobial use.
- To inform targeted educational and therapeutic practice improvement measures.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of all prescriptions issued over one month for 26,652 children (8.9% of the pediatric population).
- Utilized the defined daily dose (DDD) as a unit of measurement for drug dose statistics.
- Expressed prescribing frequency as DDD per 1,000 children per day.
Main Results:
- The Novi Sad district exhibited higher antimicrobial prescribing rates than other regions with available comparable data.
- Analysis revealed a significant usage of tetracyclines within the observed prescribing patterns.
- High tetracycline use contributed to the subsequent removal of tetracycline syrup formulations from the Yugoslavian market.
Conclusions:
- Antimicrobial prescribing rates in the Novi Sad district are notably high among young children.
- Physician prescribing patterns, particularly high tetracycline use, have significant market and clinical implications.
- Findings support the need for interventions to optimize pediatric antimicrobial prescribing practices.
Abstract:
In comparison with other regions in Yugoslavia, in the District of Novi Sad a high prescribing rate for antimicrobial drug were previously found. The aim of this study was to determine whether this high rate applies also to pediatric patients up to the age of 7 years, to define the prescribing pattern of physicians, and ultimately, to direct educational and other measures toward improving the therapeutic practices. The sample consisted of all prescriptions for 1 month for 26,652 children, comprising 8.9% of the total population. The method was based on a drug dose statistics concept, where the most frequently prescribed amount of the active substance, determined by convention as the defined daily dose (DDD), was used as a unit of measurement. The number of such statistical or average doses were expressed per 1,000 children per day. It was found that the prescribing rate in the District exceeds all other regions for which comparable data exist. In the prescribing pattern, the high usage of tetracyclines contributed to final removal of tetracyclines in syrup formulation from the market in Yugoslavia.