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  • Title: Antipyretic drug use in children in French office based medical practice.
    Author: Deligne J, Grimaldi L, Jonville-Béra AP, Giraudeau B, Blum-Boisgard C, Autret-Leca E.
    Journal: Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf; 2007 Jul; 16(7):812-7. PubMed ID: 17546571.
    Abstract:
    PURPOSE: To analyse antipyretics (APs) prescriptions profile in children, particularly the frequency of AP combinations. METHODS: APs (acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, ibuprofen or ketoprofen) prescribed to children below 12 years and refunded by a public health insurer in 2003, throughout France, were examined. RESULTS: A total of 513 034 prescriptions were refunded for 240 720 children. The mean number of AP prescriptions per child was the highest in children aged 6 months to 2 years. Paracetamol was the main AP prescribed, but its prescription declined with age, from 90.8% below 3 months old to 57.4% between 6 and 12 years old. Ibuprofen-only prescriptions were rare below 3 months and maximal between 2 and 6 years. The ibuprofen/paracetamol combination was prescribed from 6 months old, and its frequency was maximal between 2 and 6 years old (21.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The clear predominance of paracetamol prescriptions suggests that French prescribers are relatively aware of the relative risk-benefit ratio of the different APs. Studies are required to determine if the APs are prescribed to be used alternately or when a monotherapy fails. Guidelines to manage fever in children are needed in France to restrict APs combination to the case of paracetamol failure.
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