The Risk of Specific Congenital Anomalies in Relation to Newer Antiepileptic Drugs: A Literature Review.

Background: More information is needed about possible associations between the newer anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) in the first trimester of pregnancy and specific congenital anomalies of the fetus.

Objectives: We performed a literature review to find signals for potential associations between newer AEDs (lamotrigine, topiramate, levetiracetam, gabapentin, oxcarbazepine, eslicarbazepine, felbamate, lacosamide, pregabalin, retigabine, rufinamide, stiripentol, tiagabine, vigabatrin, and zonisamide) and specific congenital anomalies.

Methods: We searched PubMed and EMBASE to find observational studies with pregnancies exposed to newer AEDs and detailed information on congenital anomalies.

Insulin analogues in pregnancy and specific congenital anomalies: a literature review.

Insulin analogues are commonly used in pregnant women with diabetes. It is not known if the use of insulin analogues in pregnancy is associated with any higher risk of congenital anomalies in the offspring compared with use of human insulin. We performed a literature search for studies of pregnant women with pregestational diabetes using insulin analogues in the first trimester and information on congenital anomalies.

Use of antibiotics in rural and urban regions in The Netherlands: an observational drug utilization study.

Background: Large livestock farms might increase the infection risk for the nearby human population because of an increased risk for disease outbreaks and because antibiotic-resistant bacteria are more likely to be present. We hypothesized that populations residing in rural areas have more contact with cattle compared with populations in urban areas, and will use more antibiotics or more frequently require a new course of antibiotics.

Methods: Using data from the prescription database IADB.

Antibiotic use in children and the use of medicines by parents.

Objective: Antibiotic drugs are frequently used for viral infections in children. It is probable that health beliefs and parental concern have great influence on the use of drugs in children. This study, performed in The Netherlands, investigates whether the use of antibiotics in children is associated with the use of medicines by parents.

Could adverse reactions of antibiotic drugs in children be detected in a prescription database?

Purpose: To explore the possibility to detect adverse drug reactions (ADRs) from a pharmacy prescription database by examining the use of proxy-drugs during the treatment.

Methods: From a pharmacy prescription database we selected all children of 0-6 years old who started an antibiotic drug between 1999 and 2006. In the period of 5 days before till 12 days after the initiation of the antibiotic, we examined the number of prescriptions of 5 groups of proxy-drugs associated with adverse reactions: propulsives, skinmedication, antihistaminics, drugs against candidiasis and diarrhea.

Antibiotic usage, dosage and course length in children between 0 and 4 years.

Aim: Antibiotic drugs are most frequently used by 0- to 4-year-old children. We performed a cross-sectional study in the Netherlands using a pharmacy prescription database to investigate the use, dose and course length of antibiotic drugs in 0- to 4-year-olds.

Methods: We used a database with pharmacy drug-dispensing data.

Antibiotic drug use of children in the Netherlands from 1999 till 2005.

Objective: Antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed drugs used by children. Excessive and irrational use of antibiotic drugs is a world-wide concern. We performed a drug utilization study describing the patterns of antibiotic use in children aged 0-19 years between 1999 and 2005 in the Netherlands.