National cross-sectional study of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use highlights differences between parents and professionals and prompts safety concerns.

AIM: Controversy surrounding the safety of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) provides an opportunity to study parents' and healthcare professionals' differential use of over-the-counter drugs.

METHODS

In this national cross-sectional study, general practitioners, paediatricians and pharmacists were asked to include up to five consecutive febrile paediatric patients aged 1 month to 12 years. Parents and healthcare professionals completed questionnaires about the current fever episode. We studied the differential use of NSAIDs by parents and healthcare professionals notably in three clinical conditions with various estimated risk of NSAIDs complications: varicella, gastroenteritis and pharyngitis.

RESULTS

The 1534 healthcare professionals prescribed 15% of the 6596 children with an NSAID, but 32% of the parents gave their child an NSAID. Generally, NSAID use was associated with older children, higher temperatures, pain due to otitis and the absence of a rash or gastroenteritis. The differential use of NSAIDs by parents and professionals was greater in conditions with high than low estimated risks of NSAID complications, with odds ratios ranging from to 9.0 to 2.9, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The differential use of NSAIDs by healthcare professionals and parents for clinical conditions with potential risks should prompt discussions about the safety of their over-the-counter status.