Epidemiology of medication-related problems in children with kidney disease

BACKGROUND: Medication-related problems (MRPs) are the undesirable effects of pharmacotherapy that can potentially lead to harm. The epidemiology of MRPs in paediatric renal patients is unknown. We aimed to characterise MRPs in this population at two tertiary care hospitals in the UK. METHODS: Prescription charts for children (≤18 years) were reviewed to identify MRPs, and characterised using a specific proforma with a standard operational definition. MRP predictors were evaluated by logistic regression and severity was assessed using a validated scale. RESULTS: Two hundred and sixty-seven MRPs were identified from 266 prescription chart reviews. The incidence was 51.2 % (203 MRPs, 166 charts; 95 % CI 43.2–60.6 %) of hospitalised patients and 32 % (64 MRPs, 100 charts; 95 % CI 22.9–41.1 %) in outpatients. The number of prescribed medications was the only independent predictor during inpatient treatment (OR 1.06, 95 % CI 1.02–1.10, p = 0.002) with no significant predictors identified at outpatient clinics. The severity level of the MRPs was minor: 53.9 %, (144 out of 267); or moderate: 46.1 %, (123 out of 267). Sub-optimal drug effect was the predominant MRP (inpatient: 68 %; outpatient: 39 %). Prescribing error and patients' medicine-taking behaviour were the main contributory factors. The majority of the MRPs in the inpatient setting were resolved. CONCLUSION: Many factors are associated with MRPs in children; the associations are cumulative and interdependent. Investment in preventive strategies and extending the support from the acute health care setting into the community are invaluable for optimising pharmacotherapy.