Prescription Pattern in Atopic Dermatitis in Skin Outpatients in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital at Darbhanga, Bihar, India

Background: Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital, Laheriasarai is a tertiary care center situated in north Bihar. It has a humid subtropical climate characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. Objective: To find out prescription pattern of drugs in atopic dermatitis (AD) and to analyze their rationality. Materials and Methods: The present retrospective study was conducted from medical records of dermatology Outpatient Department of Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital, Darbhanga. Prescriptions of AD patients during the period February 2014-August 2014 were collected from record section. Total 172 cases were found. Their drug data were analyzed. Results: Topical monotherapy treatment with hydrocortisone, triamcinolone, mometasone and sertaconazole and topical polytherapy treatment with clobetasol and fusidic acid as well as emollients (viz. aloe vera, liquid paraffin and white soft paraffin), clobetasone, and miconazole combinations have been observed to be prescribed. Systemic monotherapy treatment comprised of azithromycin, hydroxyzine, cefadroxil and loratadine, while for systemic polytherapy treatment a combination of prednisolone and levocetirizine was used. Conclusions: This concluded that modest prescribing practices were evident in the hospital.