OBJECTIVES: 1) To review SSRI prescribing patterns for children and adolescents in our hospital and provincial prescription database and 2) To evaluate whether prescribing practices are consistent with expectations, based on published evidence and practice recommendations. METHODS: A PubMed online search was conducted to obtain all randomized controlled trials assessing efficacy of SSRI use in children and adolescents. The inpatient hospital pharmacy database at BC Children's Hospital (BCCH) and the BC Pharmacare database were used to identify all unique patients (under 19 years of age) seen in the inpatient department of psychiatry at BCCH or as outpatients in the province of BC receiving SSRI prescriptions between 2005-2009. RESULTS: Fluoxetine, citalopram, escitalopram and sertraline have evidence supporting their efficacy in the treatment of depressive disorders. Fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline, paroxetine and venlafaxine have evidence for use in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Between 2005-2009, BCCH inpatient data revealed that fluoxetine is the most frequently prescribed SSRI, followed by citalopram, sertraline, fluvoxamine, venlafaxine, paroxetine and escitalopram. In the community outpatients, fluoxetine was most frequently prescribed SSRI followed by citalopram, venlafaxine, sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine and escitalopram. CONCLUSIONS: Prescribing patterns for SSRIs at BC Children's Hospital are consistent with the available evidence in the pediatric population. Furthermore, with the exception of citalopram, provincial outpatient and inpatient prescriptions appear to follow published national guidelines. Hospital SSRI usage more closely reflects the available literature than outpatient community usage does.
OBJECTIVES: 1) To review SSRI prescribing patterns for children and adolescents in our hospital and provincial prescription database and 2) To evaluate whether prescribing practices are consistent with expectations, based on published evidence and practice recommendations. METHODS: A PubMed online search was conducted to obtain all randomized controlled trials assessing efficacy of SSRI use in children and adolescents. The inpatient hospital pharmacy database at BC Children's Hospital (BCCH) and the BC Pharmacare database were used to identify all unique patients (under 19 years of age) seen in the inpatient department of psychiatry at BCCH or as outpatients in the province of BC receiving SSRI prescriptions between 2005-2009. RESULTS:Fluoxetine, citalopram, escitalopram and sertraline have evidence supporting their efficacy in the treatment of depressive disorders. Fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline, paroxetine and venlafaxine have evidence for use in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Between 2005-2009, BCCH inpatient data revealed that fluoxetine is the most frequently prescribed SSRI, followed by citalopram, sertraline, fluvoxamine, venlafaxine, paroxetine and escitalopram. In the community outpatients, fluoxetine was most frequently prescribed SSRI followed by citalopram, venlafaxine, sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine and escitalopram. CONCLUSIONS: Prescribing patterns for SSRIs at BC Children's Hospital are consistent with the available evidence in the pediatric population. Furthermore, with the exception of citalopram, provincial outpatient and inpatient prescriptions appear to follow published national guidelines. Hospital SSRI usage more closely reflects the available literature than outpatient community usage does.
Authors: Julie Magno Zito; Daniel J Safer; Susan DosReis; James F Gardner; Karen Soeken; Myde Boles; Frances Lynch Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2002-05 Impact factor: 7.124
Authors: Anne-Liis von Knorring; Gunilla Ingrid Olsson; Per Hove Thomsen; Ole Michael Lemming; Agnes Hultén Journal: J Clin Psychopharmacol Date: 2006-06 Impact factor: 3.153
Authors: John March; Susan Silva; Stephen Petrycki; John Curry; Karen Wells; John Fairbank; Barbara Burns; Marisa Domino; Steven McNulty; Benedetto Vitiello; Joanne Severe Journal: JAMA Date: 2004-08-18 Impact factor: 56.272