A prospective study of adverse drug reactions as a cause of admission to a paediatric hospital

1996

1A total of 512 consecutive paediatric hospital admissions of children 2 years old or less were evaluated to assess the extent and pattern of admission caused by suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The proportion of suspected ADRs related to hospital admissions was 4.3%. 2The organ-systems most commonly implicated were the central nervous system (40.5%), digestive system (16.7%), and skin and appendages (14.3%). Together, they accounted for 71.5% of admissions attributed to ADRs. The most common clinical manifestations inducing admission were convulsions (4 cases), dizziness (4), vomiting (3), and tremor, fever, itching and apnoea (2 cases each). 3The four classes of drugs most frequen…