Abstract: Objective To examine the real-world clinical medications for pediatric and adolescent patients with depressive disorders, analyze the usage of drugs, and provide references for rational prescriptions. Methods The demographic characteristics, types of drugs used, treatment regimens, and adverse drug reactions among pediatric and adolescent patients with depressive disorders treated at psychological clinic of Fujian Energy General Hospital between 2019 and 2023 were analyzed. Results A total of 2 550 prescriptions for pediatric and adolescent depression patients were collected, involving 14 597 prescriptions for Western medicines and 46 583 drug entries. The majority of patients were aged 16 to 18, who far outnumbered those in groups ages 10 to 12 and 13 to 15. The average age of patients declined over time, with females outnumbering males. The five most commonly prescribed psychiatric medications were sertraline, alprazolam, quetiapine, olanzapine, and aripiprazole. The treatment approach primarily involved polypharmacy (more than 80%), with the most common regimens being antidepressant + antipsychotic (30.81%), and antidepressant + antipsychotic + sedative-hypnotic or anxiolytic (26.69%). Adverse drug reactions included gastrointestinal disorders, metabolic and nutritional disturbances, and psychiatric symptoms. Conclusion Antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are the mainstay of treatments for pediatric and adolescent depression in outpatient settings. Sertraline is the most commonly prescribed despite its declining usage. The typical treatment regimen involves a single antidepressant, often combined with benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotics and atypical antipsychotics.

Key words: Children, Adolescents, Depressive Disorders, Antidepressant, Serotonin-Selective Reuptake Inhibitors(SSRIs), Sertraline, Adverse Drug Reactions