OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the use of psychotropic medication in children and adolescents hospitalised in a psychiatric ward. METHODS: A prospective analysis of psychotropic drug prescriptions was conducted for all patients hospitalised in two acute psychiatric hospitalisation units of a paediatric teaching hospital in Paris, France. The study group consisted of 187 patients and was characterised in terms of age, sex, prior psychiatric hospitalisation and DSM-IV-Tr diagnosis. All prescriptions were assessed for off-label use. RESULTS: Overall, 46% of patients received at least one dose of psychotropic medication. Antipsychotic drugs were the most frequently prescribed drugs (44%), regardless of diagnosis. Ninety percent of patients who received antipsychotic drugs did not have psychosis. We found that 69% of the 421 prescriptions written were for off-label uses. The percentage distribution of off-label prescriptions by medication class was as follows: antipsychotic drugs, 90%; anxiolytics, 28%; stimulants, 26%; antidepressants, 89%; antiepileptic drugs, 89% and antiparkinsonian drugs, 91%. CONCLUSION: The extensive use of drugs for off-label indications in children and adolescents suggests that prospective post-marketing studies should be carried out to evaluate efficacy and safety.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the use of psychotropic medication in children and adolescents hospitalised in a psychiatric ward. METHODS: A prospective analysis of psychotropic drug prescriptions was conducted for all patients hospitalised in two acute psychiatric hospitalisation units of a paediatric teaching hospital in Paris, France. The study group consisted of 187 patients and was characterised in terms of age, sex, prior psychiatric hospitalisation and DSM-IV-Tr diagnosis. All prescriptions were assessed for off-label use. RESULTS: Overall, 46% of patients received at least one dose of psychotropic medication. Antipsychotic drugs were the most frequently prescribed drugs (44%), regardless of diagnosis. Ninety percent of patients who received antipsychotic drugs did not have psychosis. We found that 69% of the 421 prescriptions written were for off-label uses. The percentage distribution of off-label prescriptions by medication class was as follows: antipsychotic drugs, 90%; anxiolytics, 28%; stimulants, 26%; antidepressants, 89%; antiepileptic drugs, 89% and antiparkinsonian drugs, 91%. CONCLUSION: The extensive use of drugs for off-label indications in children and adolescents suggests that prospective post-marketing studies should be carried out to evaluate efficacy and safety.
Authors: Sanjeev Pathak; Sarah P Arszman; Arman Danielyan; Erin S Johns; Alex Smirnov; Robert A Kowatch Journal: J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol Date: 2004 Impact factor: 2.576
Authors: Farifteh Firoozmand Duffy; William E Narrow; Donald S Rae; Joyce C West; Deborah A Zarin; Maritza Rubio-Stipec; Harold Alan Pincus; Darrel A Regier Journal: J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol Date: 2005-02 Impact factor: 2.576
Authors: Fedra Najjar; Carolyn Welch; W L Grapentine; Henry Sachs; Jason Siniscalchi; Lawrence H Price Journal: J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol Date: 2004 Impact factor: 2.576
Authors: Eric Acquaviva; Stéphane Legleye; Guy R Auleley; Jean Deligne; Didier Carel; Bruno Falissard B Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2009-11-17 Impact factor: 3.630