Drug Use Evaluation of Crystalline Penicillin in Pediatrics Ward of Dessie Referral Hospital, North East Ethiopia: A Hospital Based Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide issue due to rise of antibiotic consumption and wide variation in antibiotic prescribing practices. Crystalline penicillin is the most highly consumed antibiotics by hospitalized pediatrics patients in Dessie Referral Hospital and its utilization pattern is not known in the study area. The objective is to assess the appropriateness of crystalline penicillin use in pediatrics ward of Dessie Referral Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia.

Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was used for evaluating medication records of hospitalized pediatric patients who received crystalline penicillin from October to December 2018.

Results: A total of 262 hospitalized pediatrics patient records were included in the study. All the 262 (100%) cases were consistent with guidelines for contraindication and drug interaction to use the drug. Crystalline penicillin use was consistent with guideline recommendations in 93.8%, 92.8%, 89.6%, 66.7% and 39.4% of the cases with regard to, indication, outcome, frequency, dose and duration of treatment, respectively. The observed value of all drug utilization evaluation parameters except drug interaction and contraindication showed statistically significant difference from the set threshold in nonparametric binomial test.

Conclusion: The result of the current study especially with regard to dose and duration is much below the recommended threshold and needs scheduled trainings and necessary interventions to tackle the problem.