A multiyear cross-sectional study of US national prescribing patterns of first-generation sedating antihistamines in older adults with skin disease

Cenzer, I.; Nkansah-Mahaney, N.; Wehner, M.; Chren, M. M.; Berger, T.; Covinsky, K.; Berger, K.; Abuabara, K. und Linos, E. (2019): A multiyear cross-sectional study of US national prescribing patterns of first-generation sedating antihistamines in older adults with skin disease. In: British Journal of Dermatology, Bd. 182, Nr. 3: S. 763-769

Abstract

Background First-generation antihistamines (FGAs) are classified as 'potentially inappropriate' for use in older patients (patients aged >= 65 years). However, the prevalence of and factors associated with FGA prescription have not been studied. Objectives To examine FGA prescription rates for older patients who visited dermatology offices, and compare them to those for younger patients (patients aged 18-65 years) who visited dermatology offices and those for older patients who visited primary-care physicians (PCPs). Methods This was a multiyear cross-sectional observational study using data from the U.S. National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (2006-2015). Visits by patients aged 18 years or older were included in the study;the data comprised 15 243 dermatology office visits and 66 036 PCP office visits. The main outcome was FGA prescription. Other variables included physician specialty (dermatologist or PCP), patient's age, diagnosis of dermatological conditions and reason for visit. Results For dermatology visits, the overall FGA prescription rate for older patients was similar to that for younger patients (1 center dot 5% vs. 1 center dot 2%;P = 0 center dot 19), even when the diagnosis was dermatitis or pruritus (3 center dot 7% vs. 4 center dot 8%;P = 0 center dot 21) or when itch was a complaint (7 center dot 6% vs. 6 center dot 7%;P = 0 center dot 64). However, the rate of FGA prescription for dermatology visits was lower than that for PCP visits, in analyses matched for patient and visit characteristics (3 center dot 9% vs. 7 center dot 4%;P = 0 center dot 02). Conclusions Our findings suggest that FGAs are overprescribed to older patients but that dermatologists are less likely to prescribe FGAs than PCPs.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Medizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 0007-0963
• Sprache: Englisch