Drug Utilization Patterns in Neonatal Units in the UK: a Retrospective Pharmaco-epidemiological Study

This retrospective analysis of drug utilisation data aims to study the patterns of use of medicines in neonatal units in the UK from 2010 to 2017. Prescribing drugs in neonates can be complex and the application of pharmacotherapy principles can be challenging due to the lack of licenced formulations and limited evidence-base for indications, dosing and/or adverse events. A systematic review of drug utilisation pattern in neonatal units in different health care settings identified antibiotics, caffeine and vitamin supplements as the most commonly used drugs and highlighted that further research is needed to investigate drug utilisation and rational use of medicines in neonates. The only UK study included in this systematic review and available from our search of literature was conducted in 2009. This survey, however, had a low response rate (only 42% units responded) and it included data collection over a very short period of 2 weeks and that could limit its generalisability to other NICU settings. It identified the need for research in to medicines for neonates and that this research agenda should be informed by the extent of medication use in this field. However, our literature search revealed that there is very little information on the current patterns of medication use in neonates. An updated drug utilisation study is warranted in a neonatal setting in UK.