Influencing Factors of Off-label Use of Drugs among Pediatric Outpatients at a Tertiary Hospital

doi:10.19803/j.1672-8629.2021.10.17

Abstract

Abstract: Objective To retrospectively investigate the off-label use of drugs in a pediatric outpatient clinic of a hospital within three months, to study results and influencing factors, and to promote the safe use of drugs in pediatric outpatient clinics. Methods A total of 19 686 pediatric prescriptions were chosen from the outpatient prescriptions of the hospital between October 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018 using the simple random sampling method. According to related criteria, the off-label use of drugs was calculated and analyzed. Results A total of 5 445 prescriptions involving off-label use of drugs were found. The incidence of off-label use of drugs was 27.7%. The off-label use of drugs largely involved overdosing (41.9%), overage patients (30.2%) and medication at too short intervals (20.1%). Drugs for the respiratory system (54.0%) and anti-infectives (25.6%) were used in most of the cases of off-label use of drugs. The age group with the highest proportion of off-label use of drugs was pre-school children (35.7%), followed by infants (28.2%) and school-age children (18.9%). Conclusion The incidence of off-label use of drugs in this pediatric outpatient clinic is high. It is necessary to formulate relevant measures to minimize off-label use of drugs and ensure patients' safety.

Key words: a pediatric clinic, off-label use of drugs, incidence

CLC Number:

R994.11

SONG Shizu, WANG Wanjing. Influencing Factors of Off-label Use of Drugs among Pediatric Outpatients at a Tertiary Hospital[J]. Chinese Journal of Pharmacovigilance, 2021, 18(10): 975-977.

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