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ZDRAVKO P. VASSILEV, M.D., M.P.H., is Medical Director, Epidemiology, Covance Inc., Princeton, NJ. ALVIN F. CHU, ED.D., M.P.H., is Epidemiologist; and BRUCE RUCK, PHARM.D ., is Director, Drug Information Services, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, and New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, Newark. EDGAR H. ADAMS, SCD., is Executive Director, Epidemiology, Covance Inc. STEVEN M. MARCUS, M.D., is Executive and Medical Director, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and New Jersey Poison Information and Education System.

Address correspondence to Dr. Vassilev at Covance Periapproval Services, Inc., 206 Carnegie Center, Princeton, NJ 08540 (zdravko. vassilev{at}covance.com).

Purpose. The likelihood of hospitalization caused by adverse drug reactions (ADRs) from commonly implicated therapeutic groups is discussed. Methods. A retrospective analysis of the computerized records of exposure cases involving pharmaceutical substances reported to the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System (NJPIES) was conducted from 2000 through 2007. The cases in the National Poisoning Data System that were categorized as an ADR were included in the study set. Only reports involving a single drug were selected for inclusion in the analyses. Characteristics of the ADRs, such as the sex and age of the patient, the therapeutic group involved, and the medical outcome of the exposure, were examined. Reports of ADRs with the most frequently implicated therapeutic groups were analyzed based on whether the patients were managed onsite, referred to a health care facility, or managed at a health care facility. The Adverse Drug Reaction Hospitalization (ADRH) index was calculated for all therapeutic groups, but the focus of the analyses was on the groups that were implicated in 5% or more of all ADRs. Results. A total of 454,520 cases of human poisoning exposure were reported to NJPIES from 2000 through 2007. Of these cases, 162,105 were exposures implicating a single drug, of which 5,461 (3.4%) were classified as an ADR. Of the 5,461 cases, 385 patients were admitted into a health care facility. Antidepressants had the highest ADRH index (20.4%) among the therapeutic groups implicated, and antimicrobials had the lowest (2.2%). Conclusion. The analyses revealed a substantial variation in the likelihood of hospitalization associated with ADRs within different therapeutic groups. Among the groups that were most frequently implicated in ADRs, antidepressants showed the highest probability for an ADR-related hospitalization, followed by dietary supplements, herbals, and homeopathics and then by sedatives, hypnotics, and antipsychotics. Index terms: Drugs, adverse reactions; Hospitals; Poison control centers; Poisoning; Reports