This prospective observational study aimed to investigate the prescription pattern of antibiotics in the pediatric population of a tertiary care hospital. The study included pediatric patients aged 1-12 years with prescriptions containing antibiotics, excluding those below one month of age or prescriptions without antibiotics. Data was collected over six months from the Department of Pediatrics, Tertiary care Hospital. A total of 50 pediatric patients were included in the study.
Results showed that the male population (68%) was predominantly affected by infections compared to females (32%). The most common age group affected was 1-4 years (38%), followed by 9-12 years (28%). Bronchitis was the most diagnosed infection (22%), followed by meningitis (14%), acute gastroenteritis (10%), and urinary tract infection (18%). Ceftriaxone was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic, particularly for meningitis (87.5%) and UTI (60%). The majority of patients received monotherapy (66%), followed by dual therapy (32%), with a small percentage receiving triple therapy (2%).
The study highlighted a high rate of empirical antibiotic prescribing (46%) without confirmation of bacterial infection. However, overall adherence to prescribed medication was 89%, and no significant drug interactions were found. The study emphasizes the importance of rational antibiotic use in pediatric patients to combat antibiotic resistance and improve patient outcomes. Pharmacists were identified as playing a crucial role in monitoring and ensuring adherence to antibiotic guidelines.
Keywords
Antibiotics; Prescription Pattern; Pediatric Population; Tertiary Care Hospital; Rational Antibiotic Use; Empirical
Therapy; Monotherapy; Bacterial Infection; Drug Interactions; Antibiotic Resistance