• Gregorio P Milani, Franca Benini, Laura Dell'Era, Davide Silvagni, Alberto F Podestà, Rossella Letizia Mancusi, Emilio F Fossali, and PIERRE GROUP STUDY.
• Pediatric Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico and Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy. milani.gregoriop@gmail.com.
• Eur. J. Pediatr. 2017 Jul 1; 176 (7): 979-982.

AbstractMost children with pain are managed by either acetaminophen or ibuprofen. However, no study has so far investigated if children are prescribed adequate doses of acetaminophen or ibuprofen in emergency department. Aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the prevalence of under-dosage of these drugs in children presenting with pain in emergency department. Children initially prescribed with acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain management were included. The χ 2 automatic interaction detection method was used considering the percentage variation from the minimum of the appropriate dose as dependent variable while prescribed drug, age, gender, body weight, type of hospital (pediatric or general), and availability of internal guidelines on pediatric pain management in the emergency department as independent variables. Data on 1471 children managed for pain were available. Under-dosage was prescribed in 893 subjects (61%), of whom 577 were prescribed acetaminophen and 316 ibuprofen. The use of acetaminophen suppositories, body weight <12 kg or >40 kg, and the use of oral ibuprofen identified clusters of children associated with under-dosage prescription.

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