title: Drugs in upper respiratory tract infections in paediatric patients in North Trinidad.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We explored the prescribing patterns of physicians in North Trinidad in treating upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) in paediatric patients and the appropriateness of drugs prescribed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective observational study was conducted, with a sample size of 523 paediatric patients, diagnosed with an URTI during the period of June 2003 to 22 June 2005. The study was conducted at five Primary Health Care Facilities in North Trinidad.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The three most frequent URTIs diagnosed were non-specific URTI, common cold, and acute tonsillitis in rank order. Four patterns of prescribing were identified, (1) no drug therapy [1.9%]; (2) antibiotic therapy alone [6.1%]; (3) antibiotic and symptomatic therapy [53.0%]; and (4) symptomatic therapy alone [39.0%]. The, most frequently prescribed antibiotics were penicillins (amoxicillin [46.3%] and amoxicillin/clavulanate [5.3%]) and a macrolide (erythromycin [6.1%]). The three symptomatic agents most frequently prescribed were paracetamol [40.1%]; diphenhydramine [29.1%]; and normal saline nasal drops [14.2%]. In 112 cases with swab analyses done, of these, 98.2% revealed a growth of commensals only, while 1.8% grew pathogenic micro-organisms. Of the cases showing commensal growth only, 84.6% were treated with an antibiotic, 14.5% were treated with symptomatic agents alone and 0.9% received no drug therapy at all.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A large proportion of paediatric patients diagnosed with an URTI in North Trinidad was prescribed antibiotics although not indicated The inappropriate use of antibiotics can potentiate the worldwide trend of antimicrobial resistance.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies . St Augustine ( Trinidad ).
authors.forename: Kameel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mungrue
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies . St Augustine ( Trinidad ).
authors.forename: Tessa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies . St Augustine ( Trinidad ).
authors.forename: Ivory
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies . St Augustine ( Trinidad ).
authors.forename: Savatri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramroop
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies . St Augustine ( Trinidad ).
authors.forename: Portio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thurston
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies . St Augustine ( Trinidad ).
authors.forename: Lexley Pinto
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Pereira
keywords: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Utilization; Trinidad and Tobago