SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF DESCRIPTIVE STUDIES ON THE USE OF MEDICAMENTS IN HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN
Djanilson Barbosa dos Santos, Lívia Aline de Araújo Batista , Luis Davi Alves Lima, Helena Lutéscia Luna Coêlho

The present paper offers a systematic review of descriptive studies published in international scientific journals regarding the use of medicaments in hospitalized children (EUM). The studies included in the analysis were located by searching the databases MEDLINE, IBICT, IPA, SCIELOS and LILACS for the period January 1966 – January 2008. Studies focusing on specific therapy groups or diseases were excluded. Forty-three EUM were identified, 28 of which did not meet the inclusion criteria. The average number of medicaments per patient (mM/p) was 3.8 (CI 95%: 3.0-4.6) and the average number of days of hospitalization per patient (mH/p) was 7.3 (CI 95%: 5.6-8.9). The present systematic review should draw attention to the limitations of published EUM in providing comparable results with which to evaluate the use of medicaments and the determining factors of such use in different contexts, and thus contribute to making therapeutics safer and more efficacious.

Descriptors: Use of medicaments. Hospitalized children. Pharmacoepidemiology. Studies on the use of medicaments.