A Study to Evaluate the Drug Utilization Pattern of Antimicrobials in In Patients and outpatients in Paediatrics Department of Santosh Medical College and Hospital A Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital

Abstract

newline Background: Antimicrobials are the most frequently prescribed drugs in pediatric care, yet irrational use leads to antimicrobial resistance, higher healthcare costs, and adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Drug utilization studies (DUS) provide insights into prescribing trends and rational drug use, thereby guiding antimicrobial stewardship. newlineObjectives: To evaluate antimicrobial prescribing patterns in pediatric inpatients and outpatients and to analyze them using WHO core prescribing indicators, along with monitoring ADRs. newlineMethods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted for 18 months in the Departments of Pharmacology and Pediatrics at Santosh Medical College, Ghaziabad, and Varun Arjun Medical College, Shahjahanpur. A total of 1200 pediatric patients (OPD: 900; IPD: 300) aged 1 18 years were enrolled using simple random sampling. Prescriptions were assessed using WHO prescribing indicators. ADRs were analyzed by the WHO-UMC Causality and Hartwig s Severity Assessment Scales. Data were analyzed with SPSS v19. newlineResults: Of 1200 patients, 59% were male. Respiratory diseases (19.6%) and gastrointestinal diseases (15.3%) were common indications. Antimicrobials were prescribed in 63.9% of encounters. Cephalosporins (33.3%), penicillins (16.7%), and aminoglycosides (13.3%) were most frequently prescribed. The average number of drugs per prescription was 3.56. Generic prescribing occurred in 78.5% of cases; injections were used in 53.7%. All antimicrobials were from the National Essential Drug List. ADRs occurred in 11.3% of patients, mostly due to cephalosporins (67.6%), and were mild to moderate in severity. newlineConclusion: The study reveals overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics and injections with suboptimal adherence to WHO indicators. Implementation of antimicrobial stewardship and rational prescribing policies is essential to reduce resistance and improve pediatric outcomes. newlineKeywords: Antimicrobials, Pediatrics, Drug utilization, WHO prescribing indicators, Adverse drug reactions, Antimicrobial resistance newline newline newline newline newline newlineReferences (Vancouver style, sample for abstract support) newline1. World Health Organization. Introduction to drug utilization research. WHO; 2003. newline2. Gandra S, Kotwani A. Need to improve antimicrobial prescribing in pediatric practice in India. Indian J Pediatr. 2019;86(7):567 73. newline3. Baidya S, Banerjee R, et al. Antimicrobial prescribing patterns in pediatric wards of a tertiary hospital in India. J Family Med Prim Care. 2020;9(5):2341 6. newline4. WHO. Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) Report. Geneva: WHO; 2020. newline