Predictive Factors for Polypharmacy in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Inpatients
Author Information
Author(s): Russell Paul SS, George Christina, Mammen Priya
Primary Institution: Christian Medical College, Vellore
Hypothesis
What are the predictive factors for polypharmacy among inpatient children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders?
Conclusion
Proscribing non-pharmacological interventions, pro re nata medication, and physical restraints increases the risk of polypharmacy.
Supporting Evidence
- Proscribing non-pharmacological treatments was the strongest predictor of risk for polypharmacy.
- Prescribing physical restraint was protective and reduced polypharmacy.
- The prevalence of polypharmacy in this study was 52%, which is lower than previous reports.
Takeaway
This study found that not using certain therapies and medications can lead to kids taking too many drugs at once.
Methodology
Blinded, case-note review of children and adolescents with ICD 10 diagnosis of psychiatric disorders on psychotropic medication.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the retrospective design and reliance on case notes.
Limitations
The retrospective nature of the study limited the ability to search for other risk factors and the sample size may not represent the general population.
Participant Demographics
Children and adolescents below 18 years of age with psychiatric disorders.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.001
Confidence Interval
2.0 to 11.1
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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