Use of inhaled corticosteroids in preschool children and variability among pediatricians: a real-world analysis before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In Italy, inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) are inappropriately prescribed to provide relief in URTI symptoms. Extreme variation in ICS prescribing has been described at regional and sub-regional level. During 2020, extraordinary containment measures were implemented in attempt to halt Coronavirus, such as social distancing, lockdown, and the use of mask. Our objectives were to evaluate the indirect impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on prescribing patterns of ICSs in preschool children and to estimate the prescribing variability among pediatricians before and during the pandemic.

Methods

In this real-world study, we enrolled all children residing in the Lazio region (Italy), aged 5 years or less during the period 2017-2020. The main outcome measures were the annual I

SUBMITTER: Alagna M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10066959 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature