MEDICATION USE IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 HOSPITALIZED IN A REFERRAL HOSPITAL IN LIMA, PERU, 2020-2022

This study aimed to describe the use of medication in pediatric patients with COVID-19 hospitalized at the National Children’s Health Institute-San Borja (INSN-SB) in Lima, Peru, between March 2020 and March 2022. Therefore, we conducted a descriptive, observational study to evaluate the use of six medications: corticosteroids, ceftriaxone, azithromycin, immunoglobulin, hydroxychloroquine, and ivermectin. We compared the results among subpopulations defined according to the COVID-19 pandemic waves. We included 421 pediatric patients. Corticosteroids were prescribed to 40.4%, ceftriaxone to 35.6%, azithromycin to 12.1%, immunoglobulin to 3.6%, hydroxychloroquine to 2.4%, and ivermectin to 0.5% of the patients. The use of ceftriaxone and azithromycin was less frequent during the third wave. Hydroxy-chloroquine was used almost exclusively during the first wave. Only patients with pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome used immunoglobulin. Overall, the prescription of the evaluated medications decreased during the third wave.