Pattern of drug usage in bronchiolitis.
Bronchiolitis is a common viral respiratory infection in infants and young children. The objective of this study was to assess the pattern of drug usage in paediatric patients with bronchiolitis. One hundred patients (aged 2 weeks to 22 months) were evaluated. Of these, 64% had a respiratory syncytial virus infection. The drug therapy included albuterol in 99%, corticosteroids in 36%, aminophylline in 12% and ribavirin in 2% of the patients. The drug doses and frequencies, and durations of therapy varied substantially among patients. This emphasizes the need for well-designed research to develop optimal dosage regimens in paediatric patients with bronchiolitis.
Nahata
M C
MC
Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210.
Schad
P A
PA
D000420:Albuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000628:Aminophylline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001990:Bronchiolitis, Viral / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D000628:Aminophylline; D012254:Ribavirin; D000420:Albuterol