Pattern of medicine consumption among children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder admitted to a reference center in the State of Bahia

Abstract

Objective: To describe the pattern of prescription drugs use among children and adolescents with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) admitted to the Reference Center in Salvador, Northeast Brazil. Methods: Cross-sectional study involving children and adolescents with ASD diagnoses defined according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition and admitted to the State Reference Center for People with ASD (CRE-TEA) among the December 2017 and December 2018 period. Demographic, socioeconomic and relative data on the use of prescription drugs at the time of admission patients at the Center were collected. The psychotropic drug was defined as a medicine with code N of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification of the World Health Organization. It was considered polypharmacy with psychotropic drugs to use two or more psychotropic drugs. Results: A total of 98 patients were included in the analysis, most of them male (80.6%) and with a median age of 8. Of the total, 69.4% used some prescribed medication, being significantly higher in older individuals. Psychotropic drugs were the most frequently used medications (63.3%). Polypharmacy with psychotropic drugs was identified in 27.6% of patients. Were used 112 medications, with a median 1 (0 - 2) medication per patient, with risperidone being the most frequently used medication (41.1%). Conclusion: Most patients with ASD admitted to a Reference Center used some prescribed medication. The most used medicines were the psychotropic ones. It is necessary to implement strategies to promote the rational use of medicines in this population.