title: Incidence and cost estimate of treating pediatric adverse drug reactions in Lagos, Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) may cause prolonged hospital admissions with high treatment costs. The burden of ADRs in children has never been evaluated in Nigeria. The incidence of pediatric ADRs and the estimated cost of treatment over an 18-month period were determined in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study on children admitted to the pediatric wards of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Nigeria, between July 2006 and December 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each patient was assessed for ADRs throughout admission. Medical and non-medical costs to the hospital and patient were estimated for each ADR by reviewing the medical and pharmacy bills, medical charts and diagnostic request forms and by interviewing the parents. Cost estimates were performed in 2007 naira (Nigeria currency) from the perspectives of the hospital (government), service users (patients) and society (bearers of the total costs attributable to treating ADRs). The total estimated cost was expressed in 2007 United States dollars (USD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two thousand and four children were admitted during the study; 12 (0.6%) were admitted because of ADRs and 23 (1.2%) developed ADR(s) during admission. Forty ADRs were suspected in these 35 patients and involved 53 medicines. Antibiotics (50%) were the most suspected medicines. Approximately 1.83 million naira (USD 15,466.60) was expended to manage all the patients admitted due to ADRs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treating pediatric ADRs was very expensive. Pediatric drug use policies in Nigeria need to be reviewed so as to discourage self-medication, polypharmacy prescription and sales of prescription medicines without prescription.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Nigeria. kazeemoshikoya@ymail.com
authors.forename: Kazeem Adeola
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Oshikoya
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chukwura
authors.forename: Olisamedua Fidelis
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Njokanma
authors.forename: Idowu Odunayo
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Senbanjo
authors.forename: Iyabo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ojo
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004180:Direct Service Costs; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005249:Fees and Charges; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution