Abstract

PRESCRIBING PRACTICES OF ANTIBIOTICS AND MEDICATION ADHERENCE IN ACUTE LOWER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS IN PAEDIATRIC OUTPATIENTS OF A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL

Basheera V.* and Balan C. S.

Abstract

The work was a prospective observational study carried out to identify the prescribing pattern and compliance of antibiotics in acute lower respiratory tract infection in paediatrics out patients. The patients enrolled in the study were within the age 1-12 years. Out of 244 patients enrolled in the study, the mean age was found to be 5.30 years with SD of 3.48. Amoxicillin is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic. The next commonly prescribed antibiotic was Azithromycin followed by Amoxicillin + Clavulanic acid. Cephalexin was the least prescribed antibiotic for LRTI. Syrups were the widely prescribed dosage form. There is significant relationship between age group and dosage forms. Tablet and capsule were mostly prescribed in school children. Syrup prescribed mostly in toddlers, followed by preschool and school children. In this study most of the patients were prescribed TID regimen and 5 days of antibiotic duration. Majority of Antibiotics prescribed in Brand name. Polypharmacy prescriptions indicated wide use of Antibiotics + Bronchodilators + Antipyretics. Antihistamines were prescribed in 19.3% patients Adherence study of 244 patients was carried out. From the study it was revealed that 133 (54.5%) patients belongs to High adherence followed by Medium adherence in 98 patients (40.16%) and 13 (5.32%) belongs to Low adherence. In this study high adherence was significantly associated with the antibiotic duration. When the duration of days of antibiotic therapy increases, the percentage of high adherence in the population decreases. Adherence was worse with TID schedule and better with OD regimen. High adherence and low adherence was significantly associated with the number of daily doses of antibiotic. This indicated that when the frequency of doses increased compliance was decreased. Adherence was also significant with the educational qualification of primary care giver. High adherence increases and low adherence decreases with increase in educational qualification of primary care giver.

Keywords: antibiotics, paediatric, LRTI, medication adherence.