A Snapshot of Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions upon Pediatric Discharge in Oman

Abstract

Background: Identifying and quantifying potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) practices remains a time-consuming and challenging task, particularly among the pediatric population. In recent years, several valuable tools have been developed and validated for assessing PIP. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of PIP and related risk factors in pediatric patients at a tertiary care hospital in Oman. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of pediatric patients (<18 years) from 1 October to 31 December 2019. Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) and potential prescribing omission (PPO) were assessed using an internationally validated pediatric omission of prescriptions and inappropriate prescriptions (POPI) tool. Results: A total of 685 patients were included; 57.5% were male, and 30.5% had at least one comorbidity. Polypharmacy was identified in 70.2% of these patients, with a median of 2 (1–3) medications. PIM was observed in 20.4% of the cohort, with the highest in ENT-pulmonary disease (30.5%), followed by dermatological disorders (28.6%). PPO was identified in 6.9% of the patients with digestive and neuropsychiatric disorders, with the highest rate of 54% and 24%, respectively. Age (p = 0.006), number of medications (p = 0.034), and prescriber rank (p = 0.006) were identified as significant predictors of PIM, whereas age (p = 0.044) was the only significant predictor for PPO. Conclusions: The rates of PIM and PPO were high in this study population. In light of these findings, educational and interventional activities and programs are needed.