Table 3.
Prevalence of most common therapeutic classes prescribed at least twice per year in outpatient pediatrics by age groups (expressed as the frequency of children receiving ≥2 prescriptions per 1000 children-years) and prevalence rate ratios (PRRs) between 2018–2019 and 2010–2011.
| ATC level 1 | ATC level 2, 3 or 4 drugs | < 2 years |
2–5 years |
6–11 years |
12–17 years |
All |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–2011 | 2018–2019 | 2010–2011 | 2018–2019 | 2010 2011 | 2018–2019 | 2010–2011 | 2018–2019 | 2010–2011 | 2018–2019 | PRR | ||
| A | Caries prophylactic agents | 247 | 76 | 28 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 39 | 15 | 0.37 |
| A | Drugs for GORD | 38 | 53 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 1.23 |
| A | Proton pump inhibitors | 17 | 30 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 1.34 |
| A | Drugs for FGD | 32 | 2 | 35 | 23 | 40 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 36 | 29 | 0.79 |
| A | Propulsives | 47 | 1 | 31 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 0.04 |
| A | Antiemetics/antinausea agents | 7 | 17 | 11 | 28 | 5 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 2.47 |
| A | Drugs for constipation | 10 | 11 | 19 | 21 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 1.14 |
| A | Antidiarrhea agents (others) | 64 | 67 | 38 | 40 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 19 | 1.01 |
| A | Vitamin D | 297 | 439 | 95 | 145 | 18 | 49 | 9 | 30 | 63 | 102 | 1.60 |
| B | Vitamin K/hemostatics | 74 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0.05 |
| B | Iron preparations | 8 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0.98 |
| D | Antifungals (topic) | 34 | 29 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 0.89 |
| D | Emollients and protectives | 72 | 21 | 28 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 18 | 9 | 0.48 |
| D | Antibiotics (topic) | 7 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 1.02 |
| D | Corticosteroids | 29 | 32 | 25 | 27 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 17 | 18 | 1.07 |
| D | Antiseptics/disinfectants | 36 | 35 | 40 | 40 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 25 | 25 | 1.00 |
| D | Anti-acne agents (topic) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 0.76 |
| D | Anti-acne agents (systemic) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 1.06 |
| G | Contraceptives (systemic) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 30 | 8 | 10 | 1.28 |
| H | Corticosteroids (systemic) | 109 | 112 | 143 | 131 | 45 | 43 | 27 | 30 | 68 | 64 | 0.94 |
| J | Antibacterial agents (systemic) | 262 | 235 | 436 | 351 | 172 | 130 | 136 | 107 | 234 | 180 | 0.77 |
| J | Tetracyclines | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 0.86 |
| J | β-lactam antibiotics, penicillin | 132 | 181 | 216 | 256 | 78 | 85 | 44 | 48 | 103 | 118 | 1.14 |
| J | Other β-lactam antibiotics | 110 | 36 | 157 | 52 | 36 | 12 | 14 | 5 | 64 | 21 | 0.32 |
| J | Macrolides, streptogramins | 12 | 7 | 36 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 18 | 10 | 0.53 |
| J | Direct-acting antiviral drugs | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.92 |
| M | NSAIDs | 113 | 50 | 177 | 80 | 90 | 47 | 118 | 94 | 121 | 70 | 0.58 |
| M | Products for muscular pain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 0.7 |
| N | Anesthetics (topic) | 238 | 279 | 49 | 28 | 14 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 43 | 40 | 0.93 |
| N | Opioids | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0.71 |
| N | Analgesics and antipyretics | 580 | 660 | 564 | 606 | 263 | 289 | 197 | 224 | 344 | 371 | 1.08 |
| N | Anxiolytic agents | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1.02 |
| P | Antinematodal agents | 1 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 1.10 |
| R | Nasal corticosteroids | 179 | 180 | 205 | 249 | 63 | 98 | 42 | 61 | 101 | 125 | 1.24 |
| R | Other nasal preparations | 100 | 0 | 86 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0.00 |
| R | β−2-agonists (inhaled) | 49 | 69 | 51 | 69 | 29 | 36 | 21 | 27 | 34 | 43 | 1.29 |
| R | Adrenergics+corticosteroids (inhaled) | 1 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 1.00 |
| R | Corticosteroids (inhaled) | 44 | 55 | 47 | 59 | 16 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 23 | 26 | 1.17 |
| R | Leukotriene receptor antagonist | 3 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 0.87 |
| R | Cough suppressants | 16 | 1 | 96 | 79 | 46 | 44 | 35 | 31 | 50 | 43 | 0.85 |
| R | Antihistamines (systemic) | 51 | 20 | 196 | 133 | 105 | 81 | 67 | 62 | 107 | 80 | 0.75 |
| S oph | Anti-infectives | 81 | 89 | 40 | 42 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 21 | 1.01 |
| S oph | Anti-inflammatory + anti-infective agents | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0.83 |
| S oph | Decongestants/antiallergics | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 1.04 |
| S oto | Anti-infective agents | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 1.16 |
| S oto | Corticosteroids + anti-infective agents | 12 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 0.92 |
A: alimentary tract and metabolism, B: blood and blood forming organs, D: dermatologicals, G: genito-urinary system and sex hormones, H: systemic hormonal preparations, J: anti-infective agents for systemic use, M: musculoskeletal products, N: nervous system, R: respiratory system, S oph: sensory organs, ophthalmological, S oto: sensory organs, otological; NSAID: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; FGD: functional gastrointestinal disorders; GORD: gastroesophageal reflux disease.