title: National cross-sectional study of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use highlights differences between parents and professionals and prompts safety concerns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Controversy surrounding the safety of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) provides an opportunity to study parents' and healthcare professionals' differential use of over-the-counter drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this national cross-sectional study, general practitioners, paediatricians and pharmacists were asked to include up to five consecutive febrile paediatric patients aged 1 month to 12 years. Parents and healthcare professionals completed questionnaires about the current fever episode. We studied the differential use of NSAIDs by parents and healthcare professionals notably in three clinical conditions with various estimated risk of NSAIDs complications: varicella, gastroenteritis and pharyngitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 1534 healthcare professionals prescribed 15% of the 6596 children with an NSAID, but 32% of the parents gave their child an NSAID. Generally, NSAID use was associated with older children, higher temperatures, pain due to otitis and the absence of a rash or gastroenteritis. The differential use of NSAIDs by parents and professionals was greater in conditions with high than low estimated risks of NSAID complications, with odds ratios ranging from to 9.0 to 2.9, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The differential use of NSAIDs by healthcare professionals and parents for clinical conditions with potential risks should prompt discussions about the safety of their over-the-counter status.
authors: Inserm U1153, Obstetrical, Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology Research Team (Epopé), Center for Epidemiology and Statistics, Sorbonne Paris Cité (CRESS), Paris Descartes University, Paris, France. nathalie.bertille@inserm.fr.|Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, IFD, Paris, France. nathalie.bertille@inserm.fr.|Department of General Paediatrics, Hôpital Necker-Enfants malades, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Paris, France. nathalie.bertille@inserm.fr.
authors: Nathalie
authors: N
authors: Bertille
authors: Clinical Pharmacology, Groupe hospitalier Cochin-Broca-Hôtel Dieu, AP-HP, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.|Inserm U663 Paediatric Epilepsies and Brain Plasticity, Paris, France.
authors: Gérard
authors: G
authors: Pons
authors: Pain Center, Hôpital Bicêtre, AP-HP, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France.
authors: Elisabeth
authors: E
authors: Fournier-Charrière
authors: Inserm U1153, Obstetrical, Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology Research Team (Epopé), Center for Epidemiology and Statistics, Sorbonne Paris Cité (CRESS), Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.
authors: Babak
authors: B
authors: Khoshnood
authors: Inserm U1153, Obstetrical, Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology Research Team (Epopé), Center for Epidemiology and Statistics, Sorbonne Paris Cité (CRESS), Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.|Department of General Paediatrics, Hôpital Necker-Enfants malades, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Paris, France.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Chalumeau
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005602:France; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010290:Parents; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs
keywords: Attitudes to health; Fever; Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; Parents; Primary healthcare