Utilización de antidepresivos y prescripción fuera de ficha técnica en atención primaria en España (2013-2018)

  1. Cristina Espin-Martínez
  2. Sánchez Martínez, Diego Pablo
  3. Julián Jesús Arense-Gonzalo
Journal:
Anales de Pediatría: Publicación Oficial de la Asociación Española de Pediatría ( AEP )

ISSN: 1695-4033 1696-4608

Year of publication: 2022

Volume: 97

Issue: 4

Pages: 237-246

Type: Article

DOI: 10.1016/J.ANPEDI.2022.02.007 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Anales de Pediatría: Publicación Oficial de la Asociación Española de Pediatría ( AEP )

Abstract

Introduction Recent studies show an increase in the use of antidepressants in minors (younger than 18 years), although few antidepressants are indicated for this age group. The aim of our study was to calculate the annual prevalence of antidepressant use in children and adolescents and to review the adherence of prescription to current indications. Methods Study of the prevalence of antidepressant use in minors based on the records of the Electronic Database for Pharmacoepidemiologic Studies in Primary Care (BIFAP) of Spain for the 2013–2018 period, considering at least one prescription per year for each patient. Results The prevalence of antidepressant prescription in patients from the BIFAP cohort increased between 2013 (7.97 prescriptions per 1000 patients) and 2018 (8.87 prescriptions per 1000 patients), in most groups and in both sexes. In this period, female patients received the most prescriptions, surpassing prescriptions in male patients by up to 2.5 points in the overall rates. In patients younger than 13 years, this trend was inverted and antidepressant use was higher in male patients. The prevalence of prescription rose with increasing patient age, as did the proportion of off-label prescriptions. The use of off-label medication decreased over time. Conclusions There was a gradual increase in the prevalence of antidepressant prescription in minors younger than 18 years, with a predominance of the female sex. The high proportion of unapproved medication use in this age group calls for more thorough investigation of the risk–benefit balance of these treatments and of safer treatment alternatives.