Prescribing Pattern and Cost Analysis of β-Lactam Antibiotics in Rural Pediatric Patient: A Prospective Observational Study

Abstract

Beta-lactam antibiotics are the most widely used antibiotics used in the pediatric population; irrational prescribing of beta-lactam in the treatment process and its resistance in the pediatric population is the main concern of healthcare community. Objective: To assess the prescribing pattern of β- lactam antibiotic prescribed for treating a pediatric patient suffering from a commonly occurring infection.  Methodology: The observational prospective study was conducted in 150 pediatric patients prescribed with beta-lactam antibiotics at MVJ medical hospital and research center for the period of six months (November2015–april2016). All required patient data are collected in specially designed case report form approved by pharmacy practice department; the data were analyzed using descriptive analysis. Result: 150 pediatric patients were assessed. The average number of drug per encounter was 4.51. The average number of beta-lactam per prescription was 1.02. Male account for 50.67%and female for 49.33% of the total case. LRTI 36.66%,enteric fever 18%,AGE 10.66% ,UTI 6.66%,meningitis 4%, tonsillitis 4%, diarrhea 2% were the most prevalent disease among pediatric  and other constitute 18%. Cephalosporin group of antibiotic were most frequently prescribedi.e 77.14%, penicillin 22.86%, of which ceftriaxone 60.13%, cefotaxime 13.73%, cefpodoxime 3.26%, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid combination was 21.56%.Most beta-lactams were administered parenterally 88.89% and oral 11.11%.and 68% antibiotics were prescribed in generic name. Conclusion: Beta-lactam prescribing in pediatric patient is relatively high in rural part of Bangalore. Especially  use of broad spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic result in bacterial resistance thus there is need for improving the prescribing pattern of antibiotic; thus development of guidelines for antibiotic prescription and use of an antibiotic for the appropriate disease can result in minimizing the adverse drug reaction with bacterial resistance in the pediatric patient.

Keywords: Beta-lactam, pediatrics Guidelines, Resistance