Evidence map›Paper›PMID 18685837›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of clinical pharmacology2008

Off-label and unlicensed drug utilization in hospitalized children in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Djanilson Barbosa Santos, Antonio Clavenna, Maurizio Bonati, Helena Lutescia Luna Coelho

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Article in European journal of clinical pharmacology, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 30 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
30citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

30 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  7. Intravenous drug use in neonatal intensive care units.European journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice · 2021
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  13. Magistral drugs in hospitalized newborns and children.Revista paulista de pediatria : orgao oficial da Sociedade de Pediatria de Sao Paulo · 2016
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  14. Observational
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Djanilson Barbosa SantosEpidemiology and Public Health, Multidisciplinary Institute of Health, Federal University of Bahia, Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil. djab@ufba.br
Antonio Clavenna
Maurizio Bonati
Helena Lutescia Luna Coelho

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo investigate the use of drugs, the extent and pattern of unlicensed and off-label use, and the potential relationship between off-label drug use and adverse drug reactions in northeastern Brazil.

methodsA follow-up study of drug utilization in a general ward of a pediatric reference hospital, involving patients hospitalized for more than 24 h. Prescriptions and medical records were reviewed daily from August to December 2001. Drug licensing status of all prescriptions given to these patients was determined.

resultsA total of 272 patients were admitted during the study, 265 (97.4%) of whom received one or more drugs. The median number of drugs/patient was 6 (1-18), and the most frequent diagnosis was pneumonia (29.4% of patients). The therapeutic class most prescribed was anti-infectives for systemic use (68.8% of all children). In all, 82.6% of children received at least one unlicensed or off-label drug, and 17% received both an unlicensed and an off-label drug. Dose/frequency was the most common form of off-label drug use. Off-label drug use was significantly associated with adverse drug reactions (relative risk 2.44; 95% CI 2.12, 2.89).

conclusionsAlthough off-label drug use is a complex issue and is not synonymous with inappropriate drug use, a high rate of unlicensed/off-label drug use was found and was also associated with an increased risk of adverse drug reactions. More efforts are needed to increase rational drug use in children.

Indexed as

Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse ReactionsAdolescentBrazilChildChild, HospitalizedChild, PreschoolCohort StudiesDrug ApprovalDrug LabelingDrug UtilizationFemaleHumansInfantLicensureMaleProspective Studies

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.