The incidence and clinical relevance of drug interactions in pediatrics

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of the major drug interactions in children and verify the rate and profile of drug interactions in hospitalized pediatric patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was designed and data collected from the files of hospitalized children in Pulmonology, Nephrology, and Gastroenterology wards of a Pediatric Clinic, from July 1999 to 2004. RESULTS: From the analyzed material, we detected 34 cases of interactions, of which 1 was pharmacodynamics interaction, 13 were pharmacokinetic interactions, and 20 of unknown mechanisms. According to the rate of significance, 4 cases were categorized in the first significance rate of interaction, 18 cases in the second significance rate, 1 case of the third significance rate, 4 cases of the fourth significance rate, and 7 cases of the fifth significance rate. According to onset of cases, 33 cases were of delayed onset, and according to severity of interactions, in 7 cases we noticed major severity interaction, in 19 cases moderate severity and in 8 cases minor severity. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of drug interactions is a permanent risk in the pediatric clinic. Then, we can conclude that continued education, computer system for prescriptions, pharmacotherapy monitoring of patients, and the pharmacist participation in the multidisciplinary team are some manners of improving the treatment to hospitalized patients.