A retrospective study on the usage of cough and cold medications in viral respiratory tract infections in Taiwanese children
Journal
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
Journal Volume
23
Journal Issue
1
Pages
36-42
Date Issued
2014
Author(s)
Abstract
Objective: We sought to describe the epidemiology of viral respiratory-tract infections and patterns in prescriptions of cough and cold medications among young children who were suffering from viral respiratory tract infections (vRTIs). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study to examine vRTI-episode occurrence and cold-medication utilization in outpatients in 2007 using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan. One-third of the children under 12years of age who had at least one outpatient visit for a vRTI as randomly selected from NHIRD were included in the analysis. Results: A total of 895942 children had a diagnosis of vRTI (6144336 visits) during 2007, 58% of whom were aged 6 to 12years, and 52% of whom were male. The mean cumulative incidence of vRTIs by ages were 5.6 in infancy, 7.1 in preschool, and 4.0 in school children. The average number of cough and cold medications without other drugs prescribed per visit was two to three. Among cough and cold medications, antihistamines for systemic use were prescribed most frequently (20%), followed by mucolytics (12%), selective beta-2 agonists (11%), decongestants for systemic use (10%), and analgesic-antipyretics including acetaminophen (7%) or non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (6%). There was considerable variation of prescriptions, which increased with increasing age, where the top 20 prescription accounted for only 36%, 30%, and 25% of all prescriptions in infants, preschool, and school age children, respectively. Conclusions: A more rational use of medicines for treatment of vRTIs in children in Taiwan needs to be developed. ? 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Subjects
Children; Cold; Medications; National Health Insurance Research Database; Pharmacoepidemiology; Taiwan; Viral respiratory infections
SDGs
Other Subjects
antihistaminic agent; antiinfective agent; antitussive agent; beta 2 adrenergic receptor stimulating agent; decongestive agent; expectorant agent; mucolytic agent; nonsteroid antiinflammatory agent; opiate; paracetamol; xanthine derivative; article; child; common cold; coughing; cross-sectional study; drug utilization; female; human; incidence; infant; major clinical study; male; outpatient; preschool child; prescription; priority journal; retrospective study; school child; Taiwan; viral respiratory tract infection; children; cold; medications; National Health Insurance Research Database; pharmacoepidemiology; Taiwan; viral respiratory infections; Antitussive Agents; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Multi-Ingredient Cold, Flu, and Allergy Medications; Respiratory Tract Infections; Retrospective Studies; Taiwan; Virus Diseases
Type
journal article