Real world tablet-splitting prescription status of enteric-coated tablets of diclofenac sodium and aspirin

This study aimed to investigate tablet-splitting prescription of enteric-coated tablets of diclofenac sodium and aspirin. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study using claims data collected by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) of Korea during 2016-2020. Of the 1,227,666 prescriptions of aspirin 100 mg enteric-coated tablet, 941 tablet-splitting prescriptions were identified, accounting for 0.1%. Of the 941 prescriptions, 41.7% (392) were prescribed for the elderly individuals aged 65 years. Of the 334 tablet-splitting cases with 15 or more consecutive days of prescription, 58.7% (196) were found in the elderly. Furthermore, 37.0% (37/100), 37.1% (13/35), and 40.4% (36/89) of cases with consecutive days of prescription of 31-60, 61-90 days, and more than 90 days, respectively, gastrointestinal disorders were found. Of the 53,868 prescriptions of diclofenac sodium 25 mg enteric-coated tablet, 2,248 tablet-splitting prescriptions were identified, accounting for 4.2%. Furthermore, of the 2,248 prescriptions, 53.0% (1,192) were prescribed for children under 5 years old, and 33.1% (744) were prescribed for children aged 5-9 years, respectively. We found that tablet-splitting prescription rate of diclofenac sodium 25 mg was high, especially in children. Gastrointestinal disorders were common in the tablet-splitting prescriptions of aspirin 100 mg, especially in the cases with 15 or more consecutive days of prescription.