Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice

Pediatric hospital admission due to adverse drug reactions: Report from a tertiary center

Authors

. Kheirollah Gholami 1
. Fatemeh Babaie 1
. Gloria Shalviri 2
. Mohammad Reza Javadi 1
. Toktam Faghihi 3

1 Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Iranian Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Center, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Pediatrics Center of Excellence, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
Objective: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are known as a cause of hospital admission. We 
have carried out a prospective study to characterize and assess the frequency, probability, 
preventability, and severity of ADRs, which lead to hospital admission in children.
Methods: In a prospective observational study, a cohort of children admitted to a tertiary 
pediatric hospital was randomly screened to assess ADR as the cause of admission from June 
2014 to January 2015. ADRs causing admissions were detected based on patients’ records, 
interviewing their parents, and confirmation by medical team. The probability of the ADRs 
was assessed based on WHO criteria and Naranjo tool. The preventability assessment was 
performed using Schumock and Thornton questionnaire.
Findings: Of the 658 evaluated emergency admissions, 27 were caused by an ADR giving 
an incidence of 4.1%. Among ADRs, 37.1% were estimated to be preventable. Antibiotics 
were the most common medication class which caused hospital admission.
Conclusion: Pediatric pharmacotherapy still needs evidence‑based strategies to improve 
child care including education, monitoring, planning for medications after ADR occurrence, 
and implementing preventive measures when applicable.

Keywords

Adverse drug reaction
children
hospitalization
incidence
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Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice
Volume 4, Issue 4
Autumn 2015
Pages 212-215

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