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Review of Drug Utilization Studies in Neonatal Units: A Global Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Asma Al-Turkait

    (Division of Graduate Entry Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK)

  • Lisa Szatkowski

    (Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK)

  • Imti Choonara

    (Division of Graduate Entry Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK)

  • Shalini Ojha

    (Division of Graduate Entry Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
    Neonatal Unit, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust, Derby DE22 3NE, UK)

Abstract

Rational prescribing is challenging in neonatology. Drug utilization studies help identify and define the problem. We performed a review of the literature on drug use in neonatal units and describe global variations. We searched databases (EMBASE, CINAHL and Medline) from inception to July 2020, screened studies and extracted relevant data (two reviewers). The search revealed 573 studies of which 84 were included. India (n = 14) and the USA (n = 13) reported the most. Data collection was prospective (n = 56) and retrospective (n = 26), mostly (n = 52) from one center only. Sixty studies described general drug use in 34 to 450,386 infants (median (IQR) 190 (91–767)) over a median (IQR) of 6 (3–18) months. Of the participants, 20–87% were preterm. The mean number of drugs per infant (range 11.1 to 1.7, pooled mean (SD) 4 (2.4)) was high with some reporting very high burden (≥30 drugs per infant in 8 studies). This was not associated with the proportion of preterm infants included. Antibiotics were the most frequently used drug. Drug use patterns were generally uniform with some variation in antibiotic use and more use of phenobarbitone in Asia. This study provides a global perspective on drug utilization in neonates and highlights the need for better quality information to assess rational prescribing.

Suggested Citation

  • Asma Al-Turkait & Lisa Szatkowski & Imti Choonara & Shalini Ojha, 2020. "Review of Drug Utilization Studies in Neonatal Units: A Global Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-32, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:16:p:5669-:d:395066
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    Cited by:

    1. Tamara van Donge & Anne Smits & John van den Anker & Karel Allegaert, 2021. "Amikacin or Vancomycin Exposure Alters the Postnatal Serum Creatinine Dynamics in Extreme Low Birth Weight Neonates," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-11, January.

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