Psychotropic co-medication among stimulant-treated children in The Netherlands.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine stimulant use from 1998 to 2002 among children in the Dutch pediatric population with emphasis on psychotropic co-medication.


METHODS
A drug utilization study was based on community pharmacy-dispensing data from 1998 to 2002 for children aged 0-19 years in the northern and eastern part of The Netherlands.


RESULTS
The prevalence of stimulant use increased from 0.6% in 1998 to 1.2% in 2002. Duration of stimulant treatment was longest in children aged 5-14 years. The use of any psychotropic co-medication in stimulant users increased from 12% in 1998 to nearly 15% in 2002. Of those youths who were prescribed stimulant medication in 2002, the most co-prescribed class was the antipsychotics (7.9%). In 1998, none of the stimulant-treated children received antidepressants for co-medication; in 2002, this was 1.8%.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of stimulant use among children in The Netherlands has increased in recent years, mainly as a result of the duration of stimulant treatment. Psychotropic co-medication among stimulant-treated children increased moderately.
Faber
Adrianne
A
Groningen University Institute for Drug Exploration, University of Groningen, University Centre for Pharmacy, Department of Social Pharmacy, Pharmacoepidemiology, and Pharmacotherapy, Groningen, The Netherlands.
de Jong-van den Berg
Lolkje T W
LT
van den Berg
Paul B
PB
Tobi
Hilde
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs