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Antibiotic prescription strategies and adverse outcome for uncomplicated lower respiratory tract infections: prospective cough complication cohort (3C) study

Antibiotic prescription strategies and adverse outcome for uncomplicated lower respiratory tract infections: prospective cough complication cohort (3C) study
Antibiotic prescription strategies and adverse outcome for uncomplicated lower respiratory tract infections: prospective cough complication cohort (3C) study

Objective To assess the impact on adverse outcomes of different antibiotic prescribing strategies for lower respiratory tract infections in people aged 16 years or more.

Design Prospective cohort study.

Setting UK general practice.

Participants 28 883 patients with lower respiratory tract infection; symptoms, signs, and antibiotic prescribing strategies were recorded at the index consultation.

Main outcome measures The main outcomes were reconsultation with symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection in the 30 days after the index consultation, hospital admission, or death. Multivariable analysis controlled for an extensive list of variables related to the propensity to prescribe antibiotics and for clustering by doctor.

Results Of the 28 883 participants, 104 (0.4%) were referred to hospital for radiographic investigation or admission, or both on the day of the index consultation, or were admitted with cancer. Of the remaining 28 779, subsequent hospital admission or death occurred in 26/7332 (0.3%) after no antibiotic prescription, 156/17 628 (0.9%) after prescription for immediate antibiotics, and 14/3819 (0.4%) after a prescription for delayed antibiotics. Multivariable analysis documented no reduction in hospital admission and death after immediate antibiotics (multivariable risk ratio 1.06, 95% confidence interval 0.63 to 1.81, P=0.84) and a non-significant reduction with delayed antibiotics (0.81, 0.41 to 1.64, P=0.61). Reconsultation for new, worsening, or non-resolving symptoms was common (1443/7332 (19.7%), 4455/17 628 (25.3%), and 538/3819 (14.1%), respectively) and was significantly reduced by delayed antibiotics (multivariable risk ratio 0.64, 0.57 to 0.72, P<0.001) but not by immediate antibiotics (0.98, 0.90 to 1.07, P=0.66).

Conclusion Prescribing immediate antibiotics may not reduce subsequent hospital admission or death for young people and adults with uncomplicated lower respiratory tract infection, and such events are uncommon. If clinicians are considering antibiotics, a delayed prescription may be preferable since it is associated with a reduced number of reconsultations for worsening illness.

0959-8138
Little, Paul
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Stuart, Beth
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Smith, Sue
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Thompson, Matthew
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Knox, Kyle
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van den bruel, Ann
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Lown, Mark
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Moore, Michael
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Mant, David
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Little, Paul
1bf2d1f7-200c-47a5-ab16-fe5a8756a777
Stuart, Beth
626862fc-892b-4f6d-9cbb-7a8d7172b209
Smith, Sue
8904521d-3b46-4112-8566-e08de3e011a5
Thompson, Matthew
fc8976af-93f7-4da9-8acf-68e1f562de3d
Knox, Kyle
e3415c23-e33b-43e1-8791-2ce1f4d11aae
van den bruel, Ann
bd3225c7-17d2-48f2-adfe-11d3dd337522
Lown, Mark
4742d5f8-bcf3-4e0b-811c-920e7d010c9b
Moore, Michael
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Mant, David
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Little, Paul, Stuart, Beth, Smith, Sue, Thompson, Matthew, Knox, Kyle, van den bruel, Ann, Lown, Mark, Moore, Michael and Mant, David (2017) Antibiotic prescription strategies and adverse outcome for uncomplicated lower respiratory tract infections: prospective cough complication cohort (3C) study. BMJ, 357, [j2148]. (doi:10.1136/bmj.j2148).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objective To assess the impact on adverse outcomes of different antibiotic prescribing strategies for lower respiratory tract infections in people aged 16 years or more.

Design Prospective cohort study.

Setting UK general practice.

Participants 28 883 patients with lower respiratory tract infection; symptoms, signs, and antibiotic prescribing strategies were recorded at the index consultation.

Main outcome measures The main outcomes were reconsultation with symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection in the 30 days after the index consultation, hospital admission, or death. Multivariable analysis controlled for an extensive list of variables related to the propensity to prescribe antibiotics and for clustering by doctor.

Results Of the 28 883 participants, 104 (0.4%) were referred to hospital for radiographic investigation or admission, or both on the day of the index consultation, or were admitted with cancer. Of the remaining 28 779, subsequent hospital admission or death occurred in 26/7332 (0.3%) after no antibiotic prescription, 156/17 628 (0.9%) after prescription for immediate antibiotics, and 14/3819 (0.4%) after a prescription for delayed antibiotics. Multivariable analysis documented no reduction in hospital admission and death after immediate antibiotics (multivariable risk ratio 1.06, 95% confidence interval 0.63 to 1.81, P=0.84) and a non-significant reduction with delayed antibiotics (0.81, 0.41 to 1.64, P=0.61). Reconsultation for new, worsening, or non-resolving symptoms was common (1443/7332 (19.7%), 4455/17 628 (25.3%), and 538/3819 (14.1%), respectively) and was significantly reduced by delayed antibiotics (multivariable risk ratio 0.64, 0.57 to 0.72, P<0.001) but not by immediate antibiotics (0.98, 0.90 to 1.07, P=0.66).

Conclusion Prescribing immediate antibiotics may not reduce subsequent hospital admission or death for young people and adults with uncomplicated lower respiratory tract infection, and such events are uncommon. If clinicians are considering antibiotics, a delayed prescription may be preferable since it is associated with a reduced number of reconsultations for worsening illness.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 24 April 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 22 May 2017
Published date: 2017
Organisations: Primary Care & Population Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 408421
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/408421
ISSN: 0959-8138
PURE UUID: 31c5fc2e-0d9a-4208-8142-58bd649d5a92
ORCID for Beth Stuart: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5432-7437
ORCID for Mark Lown: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8309-568X
ORCID for Michael Moore: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5127-4509

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Date deposited: 20 May 2017 04:03
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 04:21

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Contributors

Author: Paul Little
Author: Beth Stuart ORCID iD
Author: Sue Smith
Author: Matthew Thompson
Author: Kyle Knox
Author: Ann van den bruel
Author: Mark Lown ORCID iD
Author: Michael Moore ORCID iD
Author: David Mant

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