The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume 152, Issue 3 , Pages 412-415.e1 , March 2008

Medication Use in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Current Patterns and Off-Label Use of Parenteral Medications

  • Praveen Kumar, MD

      Affiliations

    • From the Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Praveen Kumar, MD, 333 East Superior Street, Prentice Pavilion, Suite 404, Chicago, IL 60611-2950
    • ,
  • Jennifer K. Walker, PharmD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pharmacy, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL.
    • ,
  • Kristin M. Hurt, PharmD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pharmacy, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL.
    • ,
  • Kimberly M. Bennett, PharmD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pharmacy, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL.
    • ,
  • Neal Grosshans, RPh

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pharmacy, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL.
    • ,
  • Michael A. Fotis, RPh

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pharmacy, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL.

Received 7 August 2006 ,Revised 11 June 2007 ,Accepted 26 July 2007.

References 

  1. Aranda JV, Cohen S, Neims AH. Drug utilization in a newborn intensive care unit. J Pediatr. 1976;89:315–317
  2. Aranda JV, Collinge JM, Clarkson S. Epidemiologic aspects of drug utilization in a newborn intensive care unit. Semin Perinatol. 1982;6:148–154
  3. Aranda JV, Clarkson S, Collinge JM. Changing pattern of drug utilization in a neonatal intensive care unit. Am J Perinatol. 1983;1:28–30
  4. Italian Collaborative Group on Preterm Delivery. Early neonatal drug utilization in preterm newborns in neonatal intensive care units. Dev Pharmacol Ther. 1988;11:1–7
  5. Lesko SM, Epstein ME, Mitchell AA. Recent patterns of drug use in newborn intensive care. J Pediatr. 1990;116:985–990
  6. Clark RH, Bloom BT, Spitzer AR, Gerstmann DR. Reported medication use in the neonatal intensive care unit: data from a large national data set. Pediatrics. 2006;117:1979–1987
  7. Food and Drug Administration. The Pediatric Exclusivity Provision: January 2001 Status Report to Congress. Rockville, MD: Food and Drug Administration; 2001;
  8. Turner S, Nunn AJ, Choonara I. Unlicensed drug use in children in the UK. Paediatr Perinat Drug Therapy. 1997;1:52–55
  9. ‘t Jong GW, Vulto AG, de Hoog M, Schimmel KJM, Tibboel D, van den Anker JN. A survey of the use of off-label and unlicensed drugs in a Dutch children’s hospital. Pediatrics. 2001;108:1089–1093
  10. Conroy S, Choonara I, Impicciatore P, Mohn A, Arnell H, Rane A, et al. Survey of unlicensed and off-label drug use in pediatric wards in European countries. BMJ. 2000;320:79–82
  11. Pandolfini C, Impiccatore P, Provasi D, Rocchi F, Campi R, Bonati M Italian Paediatric Off-label Collaborative Group. Off-label use of drugs in Italy: a prospective observational and multicentre study. Acta Pediatr. 2002;91:339–347
  12. Bucheler R, Schwab M, Morike K, Kalchthaler B, Mohr H, Schroder H, et al. Off-label prescribing to children in primary care in Germany: a retrospective cohort study. BMJ. 2002;324:1311–1312
  13. O’Donnell CPF, Stone RJ, Morley CJ. Unlicensed and off-label drug use in an Australian neonatal intensive care unit. Pediatrics. 2002;110:e52
  14. Avenel S, Bomkratz A, Dassieu G, Janaud JC, Danan C. The incidence of prescriptions without marketing product license in a neonatal intensive care unit. Arch Pediatr. 2000;7:143–147
  15. American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs. Uses of drugs not described in the package insert (off-label uses). Pediatrics. 2002;110:181–183
  16. Hill P. Off-licence and off-label prescribing in children: litigation fears for physicians. Arch Dis Child. 2005;90(Suppl 1):i17–i18
  17. Conroy S, McIntyre J, Choonara I. Unlicensed and off-label drug use in neonates. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 1999;80:F142–F145
  18. Yeh TF, Lin YJ, Lin HC, Huang CC, Hsieh WS, Lin CH, et al. Outcomes at school age after postnatal dexamethasone therapy for lung disease of prematurity. N Engl J Med. 2004;350:1304–1313

PII: S0022-3476(07)00746-9

doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2007.07.050

The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume 152, Issue 3 , Pages 412-415.e1 , March 2008

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