A PROSPECTIVE INTENSIVE STUDY OF ADVERSE DRUG-REACTIONS IN URBAN GENERAL-PRACTICE

This was a prospective study of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) over a 3 -month study period reported by 3 urban physicians who were in general practice in southwestern France. A total of 2094 patients were examin ed and 20 ADRs were observed. Results of this study of ADRs by urban p hysicians were compared with a similar study by a French physician in rural medical practice using the same method. In the present study, cu taneous (n = 6) and neurological (n = 6) ADRs were the most frequent u ntoward effects observed. The main drugs involved in the study were ps ychotropic (5 cases), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (n = 5) and anti- infectious (n = 4) agents. The prevalence rate of ADRs was 1% of the c onsultations/visits (2.2 ADRs/general practitioner/month), which was i dentical to that previously observed in a rural medical practice. ADRs involving psychotropic drugs were more frequent (p < 0.05) in urban ( 25%) than in rural (6%) medical practices. We compared the 1% rate in this study with the ADR rate based on spontaneous reports by general p ractitioners throughout the 'departement' to the Midi-Pyrenees regiona l Pharmacovigilance Centre. On the basis of this comparison, we estima ted that the under-reporting rate of ADRs was approximately 1/3000.