scholarly journals Long-term effect of a practice-based intervention (HAPPY AUDIT) aimed at reducing antibiotic prescribing in patients with respiratory tract infections

2018 ◽  
Vol 73 (8) ◽  
pp. 2215-2222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl Llor ◽  
Lars Bjerrum ◽  
José M Molero ◽  
Ana Moragas ◽  
Beatriz González López-Valcárcel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Term Effect ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
Long Term Effect ◽  
Tract Infections

Delayed prescribing of antibiotics for self-limiting respiratory tract infections in an urgent care out-of-hours setting

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 130-135
Author(s):  
Justine Dexter ◽  
Gerri Mortimore
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Urgent Care ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
Out Of Hours ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Tract Infections

Long-term overuse of antibiotics and inappropriate prescribing has led to widespread development of antimicrobial resistance. The Department of Health and Social Care recently published a five-year national action plan to reduce antimicrobial resistance, with the aim of reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. This is mirrored in the NHS Long Term Plan, which aims to reduce unintentional exposure through a combination of antibiotic stewardship and leadership at all levels. An acute respiratory tract infection is one of the most common presentations in primary care, with 16.7% of all prescriptions issued attributed to it. Therefore, out-of-hours prescribers contribute significantly to general antibiotic consumption. This article analyses the practice of delayed prescribing of antibiotics for the treatment of self-limiting respiratory tract infections in an out-of-hours service. The advantages and disadvantages associated with delayed prescribing, to safely treat patients whilst facilitating the reduction of antimicrobial resistance, are discussed. In addition, recommendations for future practice are offered. This article also focuses on the development of an advanced nurse practitioner, reflecting on the four pillars of advanced practice, which underpin advanced clinical practice and associated competencies.

scholarly journals Diagnostic Stewardship in Lower Respiratory Tract Infections Using Procalcitonin

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. s31-s32
Author(s):  
Amanda Gusovsky ◽  
David Burgess ◽  
Donna Burgess ◽  
Emily Slade ◽  
Chris Delcher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Lower Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Length Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Prescribing Patterns ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
Lower Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Tract Infections

Background: A team of infectious diseases physicians, infectious diseases pharmacists, clinical laboratorians, and researchers collaborated to assess the management of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). In 1 sample from our institution, 96.1% of pneumonia cases were prescribed antibiotics, compared to 85.0% in a comparison group. A collaborative effort led to the development of a protocol for procalcitonin (PCT)-guided antibiotic prescribing that was approved by several hospital committees, including the Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee and the Healthcare Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee in December 2020. The aim of this analysis was to develop baseline information on PCT ordering and antibiotic prescribing patterns in LRTIs. Methods: We evaluated all adult inpatients (March–September 2019 and 2020) with a primary diagnosis of LRTI who received at least 1 antibiotic. Two cohorts were established to observe any potential differences in the 2 most recent years prior to adoption of the PCT protocol. Data (eg, demographics, specific diagnosis, length of stay, antimicrobial therapy and duration, PCT labs, etc) were obtained from the UK Center for Clinical and Translational Science, and the study was approved by the local IRB. The primary outcome of interest was antibiotic duration; secondary outcomes of interest were PCT orders, discharge antibiotic prescription, and inpatient length of stay. Results: In total, 432 patients (277 in 2019 and 155 in 2020) were included in this analysis. The average patient age was 61.2 years (SD, ±13.7); 47.7% were female; and 86.1% were white. Most patients were primarily diagnosed with pneumonia (58.8%), followed by COPD with complication (40.5%). In-hospital mortality was 3.5%. The minority of patients had any orders for PCT (29.2%); among them, most had only 1 PCT level measured (84.1%). The median length of hospital stay was 4 days (IQR, 2–6), and the median duration of antibiotic therapy was 4 days (IQR, 3–6). Conclusions: The utilization of PCT in LRTIs occurs in the minority of patient cases at our institution and mostly as a single measurement. The development and implementation of a PCT-guided therapy could help optimize antibiotic usage in patients with LRTIs.Funding: NoDisclosures: None

scholarly journals Point-of-Care C-Reactive Protein Testing to Reduce Antibiotic Prescribing for Respiratory Tract Infections in Primary Care: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

Antibiotics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 610
Author(s):  
Nahara Anani Martínez-González ◽  
Ellen Keizer ◽  
Andreas Plate ◽  
Samuel Coenen ◽  
Fabio Valeri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
C Reactive Protein ◽  
Reactive Protein ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Tract Infections

C-reactive protein (CRP) point-of-care testing (POCT) is increasingly being promoted to reduce diagnostic uncertainty and enhance antibiotic stewardship. In primary care, respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are the most common reason for inappropriate antibiotic prescribing, which is a major driver for antibiotic resistance. We systematically reviewed the available evidence on the impact of CRP-POCT on antibiotic prescribing for RTIs in primary care. Thirteen moderate to high-quality studies comprising 9844 participants met our inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses showed that CRP-POCT significantly reduced immediate antibiotic prescribing at the index consultation compared with usual care (RR 0.79, 95%CI 0.70 to 0.90, p = 0.0003, I2 = 76%) but not during 28-day (n = 7) follow-up. The immediate effect was sustained at 12 months (n = 1). In children, CRP-POCT reduced antibiotic prescribing when CRP (cut-off) guidance was provided (n = 2). Meta-analyses showed significantly higher rates of re-consultation within 30 days (n = 8, 1 significant). Clinical recovery, resolution of symptoms, and hospital admissions were not significantly different between CRP-POCT and usual care. CRP-POCT can reduce immediate antibiotic prescribing for RTIs in primary care (number needed to (NNT) for benefit = 8) at the expense of increased re-consultations (NNT for harm = 27). The increase in re-consultations and longer-term effects of CRP-POCT need further evaluation. Overall, the benefits of CRP-POCT outweigh the potential harms (NNTnet = 11).

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