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McCloskey AP, Malabar L, McCabe PG, Gitsham A, Jarman I. Antibiotic prescribing trends in primary care 2014-2022. Res Social Adm Pharm 2023:S1551-7411(23)00251-6. [PMID: 37183105 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2023.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global healthcare challenge that governments and health systems are tackling primarily through antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). This should, improve antibiotic use, avoid inappropriate prescribing, reduce prescription numbers, aligning with national/international AMS targets. In primary care in the United Kingdom (UK) antibiotics are mainly prescribed for patients with urinary and respiratory symptoms (22.7% and 46% of all antibiotic prescriptions respectively). This study aimed to capture the time-series trends (2014-2022) for commonly prescribed antibiotics for respiratory and urinary tract infections in primary care in England. Trends for Amoxicillin, Amoxicillin sodium, Trimethoprim, Clarithromycin, Erythromycin, Erythromycin ethylsuccinate, Erythromycin stearate, Doxycycline hyclate, Doxycycline monohydrate and Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V) were determined. In doing so providing evidence regarding meeting UK antibiotic prescribing rate objectives (a 15% reduction in human antibiotic use 2019-2024). Time series trend analysis of 62,949,272 antibiotic prescriptions from 6,370 General Practices in England extracted from the National Health Service (NHS) Business Services Authority web portal were explored. With additional investigation of prescribing rate trends by quintiles of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). Overall, there is a downwards trend in antibiotic prescribing for those explored. There is an association between IMD, geographical location, and higher antibiotic prescribing levels (prescribing hot spots). England has a well-documented North-South divide of health inequalities, this is reflected in antibiotic prescribing. The corona virus pandemic (COVID-19) impacted on AMS, with a rise in doxycycline and trimethoprim prescriptions notable in higher IMD areas. Since then, prescribing appears to have returned to pre-pandemic levels in all IMDs and continued to decline. AMS efforts are being adhered to in primary care in England. This study provides further evidence of the link between locality and poorer health outcomes (reflected in higher antibiotic prescribing). Further work is required to address antibiotic use in hot spot areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice P McCloskey
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom St, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK.
| | - Lucy Malabar
- School of Computer Science and Mathematics, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom St, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Philippa G McCabe
- School of Computer Science and Mathematics, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom St, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Andrew Gitsham
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom St, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Ian Jarman
- School of Computer Science and Mathematics, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom St, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
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De Man J, Remmen R, Philips H. Differences in antibiotic prescribing quality in Belgian out-of-hours primary care services. Acta Clin Belg 2023; 78:122-127. [PMID: 35635493 DOI: 10.1080/17843286.2022.2081772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aims to compare trends in antibiotic prescribing behaviour for lower urinary tract infections among different out-of-hours primary care services. METHODS Cross-sectional study using routine prescription data extracted from electronic health records from six out-of-hours services. The study population included 5888 cases diagnosed with an uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection from 2016 to 2020. Prescriptions were assessed based on the national guidelines. RESULTS Considering the total study period, an antibiotic was prescribed in 98.9% of cases. Among these cases, 55.0% was prescribed a guideline recommended antibiotic, 21.0% was prescribed fosfomycin, 17.4% was prescribed a quinolone and 1.8% was prescribed more than one antibiotic. Guideline recommended prescribing improved substantially over time. However, there were significant differences among out-of-hours services in terms of proportion over the total study period (between 49.0% and 66.7%) as well as in terms of time-trend pattern. CONCLUSION Substantial differences among out-of-hours services suggest a potential for further improvement in the quality of antibiotic prescribing. Monitoring prescribing behaviour per out-of-hours primary care service can guide focused interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen De Man
- Centre for General Practice, Department of Family Practice and Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Roy Remmen
- Centre for General Practice, Department of Family Practice and Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Hilde Philips
- Centre for General Practice, Department of Family Practice and Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
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Saust LT, Siersma V, Lykkegaard J, Bjerrum L, Hansen MP. Diagnosis and Antibiotic Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections in Danish General Practice: A Quality Assessment. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11121759. [PMID: 36551416 PMCID: PMC9774586 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11121759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rational antibiotic treatment of urinary tract infections (UTI) is important. To improve the quality of antibiotic treatment of UTI, it is essential to obtain insight into diagnostic approaches and prescribing patterns in general practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the quality of diagnostics and treatment of UTI in general practice by means of quality indicators (QIs). QIs provide a quantitative measure of quality and are defined by a numerator (the number of patients receiving a specific investigation or treatment) and a denominator (the number of patients included in the quality assessment). For adult patients with suspected UTI, practices registered the following: age, sex, risk factors, symptoms and signs, examinations, diagnosis and treatment. The levels of the QIs were compared with their corresponding standards. Half of the patients diagnosed with lower UTI or pyelonephritis fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for UTI: characteristic UTI symptoms and clear signs of bacteriuria, respectively. Urinalysis was performed for nearly all patients, including patients without characteristic symptoms of UTI. One-fourth of the patients with suspected lower UTI were treated with antibiotics despite no urinalysis and nearly half received antibiotics despite an inconclusive dipstick test. Pivmecillam was the preferred antibiotic. The findings of this study indicate that there is room for improvement in the management of UTI in Danish general practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Trolle Saust
- Center for General Practice, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
- Section of General Practice and Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, 1353 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence:
| | - Volkert Siersma
- Section of General Practice and Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, 1353 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jesper Lykkegaard
- Audit Project Odense, Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Lars Bjerrum
- Section of General Practice and Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, 1353 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Malene Plejdrup Hansen
- Center for General Practice, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
- Audit Project Odense, Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
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Huibers L, Vestergaard CH, Keizer E, Bech BH, Bro F, Christensen MB. Variation of GP antibiotic prescribing tendency for contacts with out-of-hours primary care in Denmark - a cross-sectional register-based study. Scand J Prim Health Care 2022; 40:227-236. [PMID: 35703579 PMCID: PMC9397449 DOI: 10.1080/02813432.2022.2073981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study variation in antibiotic prescribing rates among general practitioners (GP) in out-of-hours (OOH) primary care and to explore GP characteristics associated with these rates. DESIGN Population-based observational registry study using routine data from the OOH primary care registration system on patient contacts and antibiotic prescriptions combined with national register data. SETTING OOH primary care of the Central Denmark Region. SUBJECTS All patient contacts in 2014-2017. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES GPs' tendency to prescribe antibiotics. Excess variation (not attributable to chance). RESULTS We included 794,220 clinic consultations (16.1% with antibiotics prescription), 281,141 home visits (11.6% antibiotics), and 1,583,919 telephone consultations (5.8% antibiotics). The excess variation in the tendency to prescribe antibiotics was 1.56 for clinic consultations, 1.64 for telephone consultations, and 1.58 for home visits. Some GP characteristics were significantly correlated with a higher tendency to prescribe antibiotics, including 'activity level' (i.e. number of patients seen in the past hour) for clinic and telephone consultations, 'familiarity with OOH care' (i.e. number of OOH shifts in the past 180 days), male sex, and younger age for home visits. Overall, GP characteristics explained little of the antibiotic prescribing variation seen among GPs (Pseudo r2: 0.008-0.025). CONCLUSION Some variation in the GPs' tendency to prescribe antibiotics was found for OOH primary care contacts. Available GP characteristics, such as GPs' activity level and familiarity with OOH care, explained only small parts of this variation. Future research should focus on identifying factors that can explain this variation, as this knowledge could be used for designing interventions.KEY POINTSCurrent awareness:Antibiotic prescribing rates seem to be higher in out-of-hours than in daytime primary care.Most important results:Antibiotic prescribing rates varied significantly among general practitioners after adjustment for contact- and patient-characteristics.This variation remained even after accounting for variation attributable to chance.General practitioners' activity level and familiarity with out-of-hours care were positively associated with their tendency to prescribe antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Huibers
- Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
- CONTACT Linda Huibers Research Unit for General Practice, Bartholins Alle 2, Aarhus8000, Denmark
| | | | - Ellen Keizer
- Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Bodil Hammer Bech
- Research Unit for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Flemming Bro
- Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of General Practice, Institute for Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Morten Bondo Christensen
- Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of General Practice, Institute for Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Colliers A, Bombeke K, Philips H, Remmen R, Coenen S, Anthierens S. Antibiotic Prescribing and Doctor-Patient Communication During Consultations for Respiratory Tract Infections: A Video Observation Study in Out-of-Hours Primary Care. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:735276. [PMID: 34926492 PMCID: PMC8671733 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.735276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Communication skills can reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing, which could help to tackle antibiotic resistance. General practitioners often overestimate patient expectations for an antibiotic. In this study, we describe how general practitioners and patients with respiratory tract infections (RTI) communicate about their problem, including the reason for encounter and ideas, concerns, and expectations (ICE), and how this relates to (non-)antibiotic prescribing in out-of-hours (OOH) primary care. Methods: A qualitative descriptive framework analysis of video-recorded consultations during OOH primary care focusing on doctor-patient communication. Results: We analyzed 77 videos from 19 general practitioners. General practitioners using patient-centered communication skills received more information on the perspective of the patients on the illness period. For some patients, the reason for the encounter was motivated by their belief that a general practitioner (GP) visit will alter the course of their illness. The ideas, concerns, and expectations often remained implicit, but the concerns were expressed by the choice of words, tone of voice, repetition of words, etc. Delayed prescribing was sometimes used to respond to implicit patient expectations for an antibiotic. Patients accepted a non-antibiotic management plan well. Conclusion: Not addressing the ICE of patients, or their reason to consult the GP OOH, could drive assumptions about patient expectations for antibiotics early on and antibiotic prescribing later in the consultation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelies Colliers
- Department of Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Hilde Philips
- Department of Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Roy Remmen
- Department of Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Samuel Coenen
- Department of Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO)-Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sibyl Anthierens
- Department of Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Colliers A, De Man J, Adriaenssens N, Verhoeven V, Anthierens S, De Loof H, Philips H, Coenen S, Morreel S. Antibiotic Prescribing Trends in Belgian Out-of-Hours Primary Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Observational Study Using Routinely Collected Health Data. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10121488. [PMID: 34943701 PMCID: PMC8698421 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10121488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic overprescribing is one of the main drivers of the global and growing problem of antibiotic resistance, especially in primary care and for respiratory tract infections (RTIs). RTIs are the most common reason for patients to consult out-of-hours (OOH) primary care. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way general practitioners (GPs) work, both during office hours and OOH. In Belgian OOH primary care, remote consultations with the possibility of issuing prescriptions and telephone triage were implemented. We aimed to describe the impact of COVID-19 on GPs’ antibiotic prescribing during OOH primary care. In an observational study, using routinely collected health data from GP cooperatives (GPCs) in Flanders, we analyzed GPs’ antibiotic prescriptions in 2019 (10 GPCs) and 2020 (20 GPCs) during OOH consultations (telephone and face-to-face). We used autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modeling to identify any changes after lockdowns were implemented. In total, 388,293 contacts and 268,430 prescriptions were analyzed in detail. The number of antibiotic prescriptions per weekend, per 100,000 population was 11.47 (95% CI: 9.08–13.87) or 42.9% lower after compared to before the implementation of lockdown among all contacts. For antibiotic prescribing per contact, we found a decrease of 12.2 percentage points (95% CI: 10.6–13.7) or 56.5% among all contacts and of 5.3 percentage points (95% CI: 3.7–6.9) or 23.2% for face-to-face contacts only. The decrease in the number of prescriptions was more pronounced for cases with respiratory symptoms that corresponded with symptoms of COVID-19 and for antibiotics that are frequently prescribed for RTIs, such as amoxicillin (a decrease of 64.9%) and amoxicillin/clavulanate (a decrease of 38.1%) but did not appear for others such as nitrofurantoin. The implementation of COVID-19 lockdown measures coincided with an unprecedented drop in the number of antibiotic prescriptions, which can be explained by a decrease in face-to-face patient contacts, as well as a lower number of antibiotics prescriptions per face-to-face patient contact. The decrease was seen for antibiotics used for RTIs but not for nitrofurantoin, the first-choice antibiotic for urinary tract infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelies Colliers
- Department of Family Medicine & Population Health (FAMPOP), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; (J.D.M.); (N.A.); (V.V.); (S.A.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (S.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +32-(0)3-265-18-32
| | - Jeroen De Man
- Department of Family Medicine & Population Health (FAMPOP), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; (J.D.M.); (N.A.); (V.V.); (S.A.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (S.M.)
| | - Niels Adriaenssens
- Department of Family Medicine & Population Health (FAMPOP), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; (J.D.M.); (N.A.); (V.V.); (S.A.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (S.M.)
| | - Veronique Verhoeven
- Department of Family Medicine & Population Health (FAMPOP), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; (J.D.M.); (N.A.); (V.V.); (S.A.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (S.M.)
| | - Sibyl Anthierens
- Department of Family Medicine & Population Health (FAMPOP), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; (J.D.M.); (N.A.); (V.V.); (S.A.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (S.M.)
| | - Hans De Loof
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium;
| | - Hilde Philips
- Department of Family Medicine & Population Health (FAMPOP), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; (J.D.M.); (N.A.); (V.V.); (S.A.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (S.M.)
| | - Samuel Coenen
- Department of Family Medicine & Population Health (FAMPOP), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; (J.D.M.); (N.A.); (V.V.); (S.A.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (S.M.)
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Stefan Morreel
- Department of Family Medicine & Population Health (FAMPOP), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; (J.D.M.); (N.A.); (V.V.); (S.A.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (S.M.)
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Di Giuseppe G, Lanzano R, Silvestro A, Napolitano F, Pavia M. Pattern and Appropriateness of Antimicrobial Prescriptions for Upper Respiratory Tract and Dental Infections in Male Prisoners in Italy. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:1419. [PMID: 34827357 PMCID: PMC8614964 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10111419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study explored the antimicrobial prescribing pattern for upper respiratory tract and dental infections in prisoners in Italy, with specific attention paid to the appropriateness of indication and its potential determinants. METHODS This investigation was conducted through the consultation of clinical records of adult male inmates in a prison in the south of Italy. RESULTS Prescription of antimicrobials for upper respiratory tract infections ranged from 41.9% in influenza diagnoses to 88% in pharyngitis diagnoses, with high prevalence also for bronchitis (73.5%) and common cold (57.7%), and those for dental infections ranged from 82% in pulp necrosis and symptomatic apical periodontitis/pulp necrosis and localized acute apical abscess diagnoses, to 85.7% in symptomatic irreversible pulpitis with or without symptomatic apical periodontitis diagnoses. The most frequently prescribed antimicrobial was amoxicillin and clavulanic acid (33.8%), followed by amoxicillin (26.5%), macrolides (19.8%) and third-generation cephalosporins (7.9%). The overall antimicrobial overprescription was 69.4%, whereas an antimicrobial prescription was provided in all 52 cases in which it was indicated. The inappropriate antimicrobial prescriptions were significantly less likely for bronchitis, influenza and symptomatic irreversible pulpitis with or without symptomatic apical periodontitis compared to common cold/pharyngitis/rhinosinusitis, and when the antimicrobial prescription was provided by medical specialists compared to prison physicians, whereas antimicrobial overprescriptions without indications were significantly more frequent in patients with underlying chronic clinical conditions. CONCLUSIONS A concerning widespread practice of inappropriate antimicrobial prescriptions in prisoners was found. Diagnoses-specific monitoring of antimicrobial use and prison-focused antimicrobial stewardship policies are strongly needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Maria Pavia
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy; (G.D.G.); (R.L.); (A.S.); (F.N.)
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Adriaenssens N, Bruyndonckx R, Versporten A, Hens N, Monnet DL, Molenberghs G, Goossens H, Weist K, Coenen S. Quality appraisal of antibiotic consumption in the community, European Union/European Economic Area, 2009 and 2017. J Antimicrob Chemother 2021; 76:ii60-ii67. [PMID: 34312656 PMCID: PMC8314110 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkab178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives The quality of antibiotic consumption in the community can be assessed using 12 drug-specific quality indicators (DSQIs) developed by the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption (ESAC) project. We compared quality in 2009 and 2017 in the EU/European Economic Area (EEA) and evaluated the impact of using different DDD values (ATC/DDD indices 2011 and 2019) for the 2009 quality assessment using these DSQIs and a joint scientific opinion (JSO) indicator. Methods We calculated the 12 DSQIs and the JSO indicator for 2017 and for 2009 for EU/EEA countries able to deliver values. For each of the indicators we grouped the 2017 and 2009 indicator values into four quartiles. To evaluate changes in quality between 2009 and 2017, we used the quartile distribution of the 2009 indicator values in 30 EU/EEA countries as benchmarks. In addition, we compared the quality assessment for 2009 using the ATC/DDD indices 2011 and 2019. Results In 2017, a difference in the quality of antibiotic consumption in the community between northern and southern EU/EEA countries remained, but also several eastern EU/EEA countries shifted towards lower quality. Quality of antibiotic consumption decreased between 2009 and 2017 in particular indicator values for penicillin, quinolone, relative β-lactam and broad- versus narrow-spectrum antibiotic consumption, and seasonal variation. Using different ATC/DDD indices did not substantially change countries’ ranking based on their DSQI values. Conclusions The quality of antibiotic consumption in the community as measured by the DSQIs further decreased between 2009 and 2017, especially in Southern and Eastern European countries. A continuous effort to improve antibiotic consumption is essential to reduce antibiotic consumption in general and the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Adriaenssens
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Centre for General Practice, Department of Family Medicine & Population Health (FAMPOP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Robin Bruyndonckx
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics (I-BIOSTAT), Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Ann Versporten
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Niel Hens
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics (I-BIOSTAT), Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium.,Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dominique L Monnet
- Disease Programmes Unit, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Geert Molenberghs
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics (I-BIOSTAT), Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium.,Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics (I-BIOSTAT), Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Herman Goossens
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Klaus Weist
- Disease Programmes Unit, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Samuel Coenen
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Centre for General Practice, Department of Family Medicine & Population Health (FAMPOP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Bruyndonckx R, Coenen S, Adriaenssens N, Versporten A, Monnet DL, Goossens H, Molenberghs G, Weist K, Hens N. Analysing the trend over time of antibiotic consumption in the community: a tutorial on the detection of common change-points. J Antimicrob Chemother 2021; 76:ii79-ii85. [PMID: 34312655 PMCID: PMC8314099 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkab180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This tutorial describes and illustrates statistical methods to detect time trends possibly including abrupt changes (referred to as change-points) in the consumption of antibiotics in the community. METHODS For the period 1997-2017, data on consumption of antibacterials for systemic use (ATC group J01) in the community, aggregated at the level of the active substance, were collected using the WHO ATC/DDD methodology and expressed in DDD (ATC/DDD index 2019) per 1000 inhabitants per day. Trends over time and presence of common change-points were studied through a set of non-linear mixed models. RESULTS After a thorough description of the set of models used to assess the time trend and presence of common change-points herein, the methodology was applied to the consumption of antibacterials for systemic use (ATC J01) in 25 EU/European Economic Area (EEA) countries. The best fit was obtained for a model including two change-points: one in the first quarter of 2004 and one in the last quarter of 2008. CONCLUSIONS Allowing for the inclusion of common change-points improved model fit. Individual countries investigating changes in their antibiotic consumption pattern can use this tutorial to analyse their country data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Bruyndonckx
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics (I-BIOSTAT), Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Samuel Coenen
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Centre for General Practice, Department of Family Medicine & Population Health (FAMPOP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Niels Adriaenssens
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Centre for General Practice, Department of Family Medicine & Population Health (FAMPOP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ann Versporten
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dominique L Monnet
- Disease Programmes, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Herman Goossens
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Geert Molenberghs
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics (I-BIOSTAT), Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics (I-BIOSTAT), Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Klaus Weist
- Disease Programmes, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niel Hens
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics (I-BIOSTAT), Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
- Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Use of Primary Care Data in Research and Pharmacovigilance: Eight Scenarios Where Prescription Data are Absent. Drug Saf 2021; 44:1033-1040. [PMID: 34296384 PMCID: PMC8297607 DOI: 10.1007/s40264-021-01093-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The use of primary care databases has been integral in pharmacoepidemiological studies and pharmacovigilance. Primary care databases derive from electronic health records and offer a comprehensive description of aggregate patient data, from demography to medication history, and good sample sizes. Studies using these databases improve our understanding of prescribing characteristics and associated risk factors to facilitate better patient care, but there are limitations. We describe eight key scenarios where study data outcomes can be affected by absent prescriptions in UK primary care databases: (1) out-of-hours, urgent care and acute care prescriptions; (2) specialist-only prescriptions; (3) alternative community prescribing, such as pharmacy, family planning clinic or sexual health clinic medication prescriptions; (4) newly licensed medication prescriptions; (5) medications that do not require prescriptions; (6) hospital inpatient and outpatient prescriptions; (7) handwritten prescriptions; and (8) private pharmacy and private doctor prescriptions. The significance of each scenario is dependent on the type of medication under investigation, nature of the study and expected outcome measures. We recommend that all researchers using primary care databases be aware of the potential for missing prescribing data and be sensitive to how this can vary substantially between items, drug classes, patient groups and over time. Close liaison with practising primary care clinicians in the UK is often essential to ensure awareness of nuances in clinical practice.
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11
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Outpatient prescribing pattern for acute bronchitis in primary healthcare settings in China. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med 2021; 31:24. [PMID: 33972552 PMCID: PMC8111021 DOI: 10.1038/s41533-021-00234-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Inappropriate prescribing for acute bronchitis in primary healthcare settings (PHSs) is commonly seen worldwide. Here we describe the prescribing patterns and antibiotic use for acute bronchitis in PHSs across China. We conduct a nationwide cross-sectional survey to collect outpatient prescriptions from PHSs in 2017. Patients diagnosed with acute bronchitis without other infections are eligible for this study. Generalized estimating equations are used for analysis. Overall, 10,678 prescriptions for acute bronchitis from 214 institutions are included. The antibiotic prescription rate is 44.5% for total prescriptions, and differs significantly by region and urban/rural status (p < 0.05). Among all single-antibiotic prescriptions, 91.5% are broad-spectrum. Two-thirds of the prescriptions contain medicines for symptom management. The overall guideline compliance rate of acute bronchitis treatment for adults is 31.0%. Prescribing antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum ones, for acute bronchitis is commonly observed in Chinese PHSs. Targeted interventions are urgently needed for Chinese primary clinicians, especially in western rural areas.
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12
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Benkő R, Gajdács M, Matuz M, Bodó G, Lázár A, Hajdú E, Papfalvi E, Hannauer P, Erdélyi P, Pető Z. Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance of ESKAPE Pathogens Isolated in the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Hungary: A 5-Year Retrospective Survey. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9090624. [PMID: 32961770 PMCID: PMC7560131 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9090624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic treatments initiated on Emergency Departments (ED) are empirical. Therefore, knowledge of local susceptibility patterns is important. Despite this, data on expected pathogens and their resistance profile are scarce from EDs internationally. The study aim was to assess the epidemiology and resistance patterns of bacterial isolates from a tertiary-care ED over 5 years, focusing on ESKAPE bacteria (including the Enterobacterales group). After removal of duplicates, n = 6887 individual bacterial isolates were recovered, out of which n = 4974 (72.22%) were ESKAPE isolates. E. coli was the most frequent isolate (2193, 44.1%), followed by the Klebsiella genus (664; 13.4%). The third most frequent isolate was S. aureus (561, 11.3%). In total, multi-drug resistance (MDR) was present in 23.8% and was most prevalent in A. baumanii (65.5%), P. mirabilis (42.7%), and K. pneumoniae (32.6%). MRSA was isolated in 19.6%, while ESBL-producing Enterobacterales in 17.7%, and these were associated with remarkably higher resistance to other antibacterials as well. Difficult-to-treat resistance (DTR) was detected in 0.5%. The frequent isolation of some ESKAPE bacteria and the detected considerable acquired resistance among ED patients raise concern. The revealed data identified problematic pathogens and will guide us to set up the optimal empiric antibiotic protocol for clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ria Benkő
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary;
- Central Pharmacy Department, University of Szeged, Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center, 6725 Szeged, Hungary;
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Szeged, Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center, 6725 Szeged, Hungary; (P.H.); (P.E.); (Z.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +36-62-342572
| | - Márió Gajdács
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary;
| | - Mária Matuz
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary;
- Central Pharmacy Department, University of Szeged, Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center, 6725 Szeged, Hungary;
| | - Gabriella Bodó
- Central Pharmacy Department, University of Szeged, Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center, 6725 Szeged, Hungary;
| | - Andrea Lázár
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary;
| | - Edit Hajdú
- Infectious Disease Ward, 1st Department of Internal Medicine, University of Szeged, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical Center, 6725 Szeged, Hungary; (E.H.); (E.P.)
| | - Erika Papfalvi
- Infectious Disease Ward, 1st Department of Internal Medicine, University of Szeged, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical Center, 6725 Szeged, Hungary; (E.H.); (E.P.)
| | - Peter Hannauer
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Szeged, Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center, 6725 Szeged, Hungary; (P.H.); (P.E.); (Z.P.)
| | - Péter Erdélyi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Szeged, Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center, 6725 Szeged, Hungary; (P.H.); (P.E.); (Z.P.)
| | - Zoltán Pető
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Szeged, Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center, 6725 Szeged, Hungary; (P.H.); (P.E.); (Z.P.)
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13
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Cronberg O, Tyrstrup M, Ekblom K, Hedin K. Diagnosis-linked antibiotic prescribing in Swedish primary care - a comparison between in-hours and out-of-hours. BMC Infect Dis 2020; 20:616. [PMID: 32819280 PMCID: PMC7441551 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-020-05334-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The rise in antibiotic resistance is a global public health concern, and antibiotic overuse needs to be reduced. Earlier studies of out-of-hours care have indicated that antibiotic prescribing is less appropriate than that of in-hours care. However, no study has compared the out-of-hours treatment of infections to in-hours treatment within the same population. Methods This retrospective, descriptive study was based on data retrieved from the Kronoberg Infection Database in Primary Care (KIDPC), which consists of all visits to primary care with an infection diagnosis or prescription of antibiotics during 2006–2014. The purpose was to study the trends in antibiotic prescribing and to compare consultations and prescriptions between in-hours and out-of-hours. Results The visit rate for all infections was 434 visits per 1000 inhabitants per year. The visit rate was stable during the study period, but the antibiotic prescribing rate decreased from 266 prescriptions per 1000 inhabitants in 2006 to 194 prescriptions in 2014 (mean annual change − 8.5 [95% CI − 11.9 to − 5.2]). For the out-of-hours visits (12% of the total visits), a similar reduction in antibiotic prescribing was seen. The decrease was most apparent among children and in respiratory tract infections. When antibiotic prescribing during out-of-hours was compared to in-hours, the unadjusted relative risk of antibiotic prescribing was 1.37 (95% CI 1.36 to 1.38), but when adjusted for age, sex, and diagnosis, the relative risk of antibiotic prescribing was 1.09 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.10). The reduction after adjustment was largely explained by a higher visit rate during out-of-hours for infections requiring antibiotics (acute otitis media, pharyngotonsillitis, and lower urinary tract infection). The choices of antibiotics used for common diagnoses were similar. Conclusions Although the infection visit rate was unchanged over the study period, there was a significant reduction in antibiotic prescribing, especially to children and for respiratory tract infections. The higher antibiotic prescribing rate during out-of-hours was small when adjusted for age, sex, and diagnosis. No excess prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics was seen. Therefore, interventions selectively aiming at out-of-hours centres seem to be unmotivated in a low-prescribing context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olof Cronberg
- Växjöhälsan Primary Healthcare Center, VC Växjöhälsan, Hjortvägen 1, 352 45, Växjö, Sweden. .,Department of Research and Development, Region Kronoberg, Växjö, Sweden. .,Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Family Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
| | - Mia Tyrstrup
- Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Family Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.,Lundbergsgatan Primary Health Care Centre, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Kim Ekblom
- Department of Research and Development, Region Kronoberg, Växjö, Sweden.,Department of Medical Biosciences, Clinical Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Katarina Hedin
- Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Family Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.,Futurum, Region Jönköping County and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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14
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O'Connor N, Breen R, Carton M, Mc Grath I, Deasy N, Collins C, Vellinga A. Improving the quality of antibiotic prescribing through an educational intervention delivered through the out-of-hours general practice service in Ireland. Eur J Gen Pract 2020; 26:119-124. [PMID: 32757866 PMCID: PMC7470051 DOI: 10.1080/13814788.2020.1784137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Antibiotic resistance is a threat to our health and health systems. Up to 70% of antibiotics are prescribed in general practice. In Ireland, Out-of-hours (OOH) services are mostly provided by co-operatives of GPs and the 11 main OOH centres cover up to 90% of the population. More than 80% of GPs are involved in OOH care in their area, which provides an opportunity to deliver education and awareness through this centralised system. Objectives To analyse the change in the quality of antibiotic prescribing after the introduction of an educational intervention categorising antibiotics into a red (avoid) and green (preferred) panel. Methods Educational information for the GP was developed based on the national prescribing guidelines. A particular focus was to reduce co-amoxyclav prescribing. An electronic pop-up message to record whether an antibiotic was prescribed, was displayed at the end of each consultation in the patient management software of the OOH-centre, after the decision of prescribing was made. Antibiotic prescribing was compared for a 13-week period (week 47–week 7) in 2016/2017 with 2017/2018. Results Pre-intervention prescribing of red antibiotics was 44% which reduced to 17% after the intervention. The mean percentage of co-amoxyclav, the most prescribed non-firstline prescription, was 33% of all antibiotic prescriptions which dropped to 10%. Conclusion Our intervention implemented in the OOH GP service categorised antibiotics into red prescriptions and green (firstline) prescriptions, which was recorded through an electronic pop-up message, resulted in an absolute reduction of 27% in red prescriptions and more than 23% in co-amoxyclav prescriptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuala O'Connor
- Elmwood Medical Practice, Frankfield, Cork, Ireland.,ICGP Irish College of General Practitioners, Dublin, Ireland.,Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control Divison, HPSC Health Protection and Surveillance Centre, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Roisin Breen
- Quality Improvement Team, Health Service Executive, Dr Steevens Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mícheál Carton
- Quality Improvement Team, Health Service Executive, Dr Steevens Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ina Mc Grath
- Therapy Unit, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland
| | - Norma Deasy
- Communications Division, Health Service Executive, Model Farm Road Business Park, Cork, Ireland
| | - Claire Collins
- ICGP Irish College of General Practitioners, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Akke Vellinga
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
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Understanding General Practitioners' Antibiotic Prescribing Decisions in Out-of-Hours Primary Care: A Video-Elicitation Interview Study. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9030115. [PMID: 32156082 PMCID: PMC7148451 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9030115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections are the most common reason why patients consult out-of-hours (OOH) primary care. Too often there is an overprescribing of antibiotics for self-limiting infections and general practitioners (GPs) do not always choose the guideline recommended antibiotics. To improve antibiotic prescribing quality, a better understanding is needed of the (non) antibiotic prescribing decisions of GPs. This study sets out to unravel GPs’ (non) antibiotic prescribing decisions in OOH primary care. We video-recorded 160 consultations on infections during OOH primary care by 21 GPs and performed video-elicitation interviews with each GP. GPs reflected on their decision-making process and communication while watching their consultation. A qualitative thematic analysis was used. GPs found that their (non) antibiotic prescribing decision-making was not only based on objective arguments, but also subconsciously influenced by their own interpretation of information. Often GPs made assumptions (about for example the patients’ reason for encounter or expectations for antibiotics) without objectifying or verifying this with the patient. From the beginning of the consultation GPs follow a dichotomous thinking process: urgent versus not urgent, viral versus bacterial, antibiotics versus no antibiotics. Safety-netting is an important but difficult tool in the OOH care context, with no long-term follow-up or relationship with the patient. GPs talk about strategies they use to talk about diagnostic uncertainty, what patients can expect or should do when things do not improve and the difficulties they encounter while doing this. This video- elicitation interview study provides actionable insights in GPs’ (non) antibiotic prescribing decisions during OOH consultations on infections.
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Lonsdale DO, Lipman J. Antimicrobial Resistance: We Must Pursue a Collaborative, Global Approach and Use a "One Health" Approach. Antibiotics (Basel) 2019; 8:antibiotics8040237. [PMID: 31783648 PMCID: PMC6963947 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics8040237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dagan O Lonsdale
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London SW17 0QT, UK;
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, St George’s, University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK
| | - Jeffrey Lipman
- Royal Brisbane and Womens’ Hospital, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4029, Australia
- Nimes University Hospital, University of Montpellier, 30029 Nimes, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-7-3636-8897; Fax: +61-7-3636-3542
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