Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing Research Articles

Comparative Safety and Attributable Healthcare Expenditures Following Inappropriate Versus Appropriate Outpatient Antibiotic Prescriptions Among Adults With Upper Respiratory Infections.

Little is known about the clinical and financial consequences of inappropriate antibiotics. We aimed to estimate the comparative risk of adverse drug events and attributable healthcare expenditures associated with inappropriate versus appropriate antibiotic prescriptions for common respiratory infections. We established a cohort of adults aged 18 to 64 years with an outpatient diagnosis of a bacterial (pharyngitis, sinusitis) or viral respiratory infection (influenza, viral upper respiratory infection, nonsuppurative otitis media, bronchitis) from 1 April 2016 to 30 September 2018 using Merative MarketScan Commercial Database. The exposure was an inappropriate versus appropriate oral antibiotic (ie, non-guideline-recommended vs guideline-recommended antibiotic for bacterial infections; any vs no antibiotic for viral infections). Propensity score-weighted Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the association between inappropriate antibiotics and adverse drug events. Two-part models were used to calculate 30-day all-cause attributable healthcare expenditures by infection type. Among 3 294 598 eligible adults, 43% to 56% received inappropriate antibiotics for bacterial and 7% to 66% for viral infections. Inappropriate antibiotics were associated with increased risk of several adverse drug events, including Clostridioides difficile infection and nausea/vomiting/abdominal pain (hazard ratio, 2.90; 95% confidence interval, 1.31-6.41 and hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.18, respectively, for pharyngitis). Thirty-day attributable healthcare expenditures were higher among adults who received inappropriate antibiotics for bacterial infections ($18-$67) and variable (-$53 to $49) for viral infections. Inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory infections were associated with increased risks of patient harm and higher healthcare expenditures, justifying a further call to action to implement outpatient antibiotic stewardship programs.

The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Outpatient Antibiotic Prescription Rates in Children and Adolescents-A Claims-Based Study in Germany.

The aim of the study was to examine whether the COVID-19 pandemic had any effect on antibiotic prescription rates in children in Germany. Using the nationwide outpatient prescription data from the Statutory Health Insurance from 2010 to 2021, changes in the monthly prescriptions of systemic antibiotics dispensed to children aged 0–14 years were examined (n = 9,688,483 in 2021). Interrupted time series analysis was used to assess the effect of mitigation measures against SARS-COV-2, introduced in March and November 2020, on antibiotic prescription rates. In the pre-pandemic period, the antibiotic prescription rates displayed a linear decrease from 2010 to 2019 (mean annual decrease, –6%). In 2020, an immediate effect of mitigation measures on prescription rates was observed; in particular, the rate decreased steeply in April (RR 0.24, 95% CI: 0.14–0.41) and November 2020 (0.44, 0.27–0.73). The decrease was observed in all ages and for all antibiotic subgroups. However, this effect was temporary. Regionally, prescription rates were highly correlated between 2019 and 2020/2021. Substantial reductions in antibiotic prescription rates following the mitigation measures may indicate limited access to medical care, changes in care-seeking behavior and/or a decrease of respiratory infections. Despite an all-time low of antibiotic use, regional variations remained high and strongly correlated with pre-pandemic levels.

Outpatient antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory infections in Vietnamese primary care settings by the WHO AWaRe (Access, Watch and Reserve) classification: an analysis using routinely collected electronic prescription data

This study aims to investigate patterns of antibiotic prescribing and to determine patient-specific factors associated with the choice of antibiotics by the World Health Organization's Access-Watch-Reserve (WHO AWaRe) class for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in rural primary care settings in northern Vietnam. We retrospectively reviewed health records for outpatients who were registered with the Vietnamese Health Insurance Scheme, visited one of 112 commune health centres in 6 rural districts of Nam Dinh province, Vietnam during 2019, and were diagnosed with ARIs. Patient-level prescription data were collected from the electronic patient databases. We used descriptive statistics to investigate patterns of antibiotic prescribing, with the primary outcomes including total antibiotic prescriptions and prescriptions by WHO AWaRe group. We identified patient-specific factors associated with watch-group antibiotic prescribing through multivariable logistic regression analysis. Among 193,010 outpatient visits for ARIs observed in this study, 187,144 (97.0%) resulted in an antibiotic prescription, of which 172,976 (92.5%) were access-antibiotics, 10,765 (5.6%) were watch-antibiotics, 3366 (1.8%) were not-recommended antibiotics. No patients were treated with reserve-antibiotics. The proportion of watch-antibiotic prescription was highest amongst children under 5-years old (18.1%, compared to 9.5% for 5-17-years, 4.9% for 18-49-years, 4.3% for 50-64-years, and 3.7% for 65-and-above-years). In multivariable logistic regression, children, district, ARI-type, comobid chronic respiratory illness, and follow-up visit were associated with higher likelihood of prescribing watch-group antibiotics. The alarmingly high proportion of antibiotic prescriptions for ARIs in primary care, and the frequent use of watch-antibiotics for children, heighten concerns around antibiotic overuse at the community level. Antimicrobial stewardship interventions and policy attention are needed in primary care settings to tackle the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. This work was supported through Australian government and UK aid from the UK government funding to FIND (Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics) grant number FO17-0015, in addition to a Wellcome Trust grant (213920/Z/18/Z), and an Oxford University Clinical Research Unit internal grant from the Wellcome Trust Africa Asia Programme core grant in Vietnam (106680/Z/14/Z).

Study reveals high costs and adverse outcomes of pediatric antibiotic misuse

In the United States, nearly one in three outpatient pediatric antibiotic prescriptions is inappropriate. New research published in JAMA suggests that the costs and adverse events associated with inappropriate prescribing of pediatric antibiotics have been underestimated.

Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing for 357,390 Children With Otitis Media.

This study aimed to evaluate antibiotic prescriptions for children with otitis media (OM) in a large nationwide network of private clinics between 2014 and 2020. Special focus was paid to amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid prescriptions, which the national guidelines recommend for first-line drugs. We also focused on macrolides, which are commonly prescribed for respiratory tract infections in children but are not appropriate for OM cases. The data were obtained from the electronic health records of about 250,000 annual visits in <18 years old children. The collected variables were all diagnoses, age, visit year, doctor's specialty, and prescribed antibiotics. Children with OM and upper respiratory tract infections were included, but those with lower respiratory tract infections were excluded. The number of children with OM was 357,390 (55.2% boys). Antibiotics were prescribed in 44.8% of cases, with the lowest proportion (44.1%) being in <2 years old children. The overall prescription rate decreased from 48.3% in 2014 to 41.4% in 2020. The rates were 19.3% and 18.1% for amoxicillin and 12.6% and 13.2% for amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, respectively. Macrolide prescriptions were reduced from 7.5% to 3.5%. Pediatricians prescribed antibiotics for 38.8%, general practitioners for 54.0% and ear, nose and throat physicians for 39.8% of children with OM. The selection of antibiotics for OM, when prescribed, was according to the recommendations (amoxicillin or amoxicillin-clavulanic acid) in 80.1% of pediatricians, 67.0% of general practitioners and 55.1% of ear, nose and throat physicians.

Chronic diseases and compliance with provincial guidelines for outpatient antibiotic prescription in cases of otitis media and respiratory infections: a population-based study of linked data in Quebec, Canada, 2010-2017.

Background:In Quebec, antibiotic use is higher among outpatients with chronic diseases. We sought to measure compliance with provincial guidelines for the treatment of otitis media and common respiratory infections, and to measure variations in compliance according to the presence of certain chronic diseases.Methods:We conducted a population-based study of linked data on antibiotic dispensing covered by the public drug insurance plan between April 2010 and March 2017. We included patients who had consulted a primary care physician within 2 days before being dispensed an antibiotic for an infection targeted by provincial guidelines, including bronchitis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, otitis media, pharyngitis, pneumonia and sinusitis. We computed proportions of prescriptions compliant with guidelines (use of recommended antibiotic for children, and use of recommended antibiotic and dosage for adults) by age group (children or adults) and chronic disease (respiratory, cardiovascular, diabetes, mental disorder or none). We measured the impact of chronic diseases on compliance using robust Poisson regression.Results:We analyzed between 14 677 and 198 902 prescriptions for each infection under study. Compliance was greater than 87% among children, but was lower among children with asthma (proportion ratios between 0.97 and 1.00). In adults, the chosen antibiotic was compliant for at least 73% of prescriptions, except for pharyngitis (≤ 61%). Accounting for dosage lowered compliance to between 31% and 61%. Compliance was lower in the presence of chronic diseases (proportion ratios between 0.94 and 0.98).Interpretation:It is possible that prescribing noncompliant prescriptions was sometimes appropriate, but the high frequency of noncompliance suggests room for improvement. Given that variations associated with chronic diseases were small, disease-specific guidelines for antibiotic prescriptions are likely to have a limited impact on compliance.

High Levels of Outpatient Antibiotic Prescription at a District Hospital in Ghana: Results of a Cross Sectional Study.

Background: Monitoring of antibiotic prescription practices in hospitals is essential to assess and facilitate appropriate use. This is relevant to halt the progression of antimicrobial resistance. Methods: Assessment of antibiotic prescribing patterns and completeness of antibiotic prescriptions among out-patients in 2021 was conducted at the University Hospital of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in the Ashanti region of Ghana. We reviewed electronic medical records (EMR) of 49,660 patients who had 110,280 encounters in the year. Results: The patient encounters yielded 350,149 prescriptions. Every month, 33–36% of patient encounters resulted in antibiotic prescription, higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended optimum of 27%. Almost half of the antibiotics prescribed belonged to WHO’s Watch group. Amoxicillin–clavulanic acid (50%), azithromycin (29%), ciprofloxacin (28%), metronidazole (21%), and cefuroxime (20%) were the most prescribed antibiotics. Antibiotic prescribing parameters (indication, name of drug, duration, dose, route, and frequency) were documented in almost all prescriptions. Conclusions: Extending antimicrobial stewardship to the out-patient settings by developing standard treatment guidelines, an out-patient specific drug formulary, and antibiograms can promote rational antibiotic use at the hospital. The EMR system of the hospital is a valuable tool for monitoring prescriptions that can be leveraged for future audits.

Pediatric Urgent Care Providers' Approach to Antibiotic Stewardship: A National Survey.

Outpatient antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory conditions is highest in urgent care settings; however, this has not been studied among pediatric urgent cares. The objective of this study was to evaluate pediatric urgent care providers' perceptions of antibiotic stewardship. Members of the Society for Pediatric Urgent Care were recruited via email to participate in a quality improvement antibiotic stewardship project. A preimplementation survey was sent to participants via email in March 2019 to evaluate perceptions on antibiotic stewardship. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey responses. A total of 156 providers completed the survey; 83% were board-certified pediatricians. Almost all (98%) indicated that antibiotic stewardship interventions are important for optimizing antibiotic use in urgent care. More than half (53%) indicated that their urgent care provided guidelines for prescribing antibiotics for acute respiratory tract infections. Treating patients with an underlying complex medical condition was the most common reason (21%) providers would deviate from guidelines. The most commonly cited barriers to appropriate prescribing for acute respiratory infections were patient expectations (93%), psychosocial barriers (40%), lack of clear evidence-based recommendations (15%), and lack of access to guidelines on prescribing (15%). Parental expectation of receiving antibiotics was viewed as the most common barrier to appropriate prescribing. These findings should be used to target directed interventions such as shared decision making and communication training to support appropriate antibiotic prescribing in pediatric urgent care.

Regional Variations in Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing in Germany: A Small Area Analysis Based on Claims Data.

A comprehensive small area description of regional variations in outpatient antibiotic prescribing in Germany is lacking. Using the German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database (GePaRD), a claims database covering ~20% of the German population, we determined the age- and sex-standardized prescription rates of antibiotics (number of outpatient prescriptions per 1000 persons/year). We calculated these prescription rates overall and on the level of 401 German districts for the calendar years 2010 and 2018. In 2018, the standardized prescription rate of antibiotics in the total study population was 23% lower than in 2010 (442 vs. 575 per 1000 persons/year). Among 0–17-year-olds, prescription rates across districts ranged from 312 to 1205 in 2010 and from 188 to 710 in 2018 per 1000 persons/year; among adults (≥18 years), they ranged from 388 to 841 in 2010 and from 300 to 693 in 2018 per 1000 persons/year. Despite the overall decline in outpatient antibiotic prescribing between 2010 and 2018, regional variations at the district level remained high in all age groups in Germany. Identifying reasons that explain the persistently high prescription rates in certain regions will be helpful in designing effective and tailored measures to further improve antibiotic stewardship in these regions.

Association of Inappropriate Outpatient Pediatric Antibiotic Prescriptions With Adverse Drug Events and Health Care Expenditures

Nonguideline antibiotic prescribing for the treatment of pediatric infections is common, but the consequences of inappropriate antibiotics are not well described. To evaluate the comparative safety and health care expenditures of inappropriate vs appropriate oral antibiotic prescriptions for common outpatient pediatric infections. This cohort study included children aged 6 months to 17 years diagnosed with a bacterial infection (suppurative otitis media [OM], pharyngitis, sinusitis) or viral infection (influenza, viral upper respiratory infection [URI], bronchiolitis, bronchitis, nonsuppurative OM) as an outpatient from April 1, 2016, to September 30, 2018, in the IBM MarketScan Commercial Database. Data were analyzed from August to November 2021. Inappropriate (ie, non-guideline-recommended) vs appropriate (ie, guideline-recommended) oral antibiotic agents dispensed from an outpatient pharmacy on the date of infection. Propensity score-weighted Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazards ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for the association between inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions and adverse drug events. Two-part models were used to calculate 30-day all-cause attributable health care expenditures by infection type. National-level annual attributable expenditures were calculated by scaling attributable expenditures in the study cohort to the national employer-sponsored insurance population. The cohort included 2 804 245 eligible children (52% male; median [IQR] age, 8 [4-12] years). Overall, 31% to 36% received inappropriate antibiotics for bacterial infections and 4% to 70% for viral infections. Inappropriate antibiotics were associated with increased risk of several adverse drug events, including Clostridioides difficile infection and severe allergic reaction among children treated with a nonrecommended antibiotic agent for a bacterial infection (among patients with suppurative OM, C. difficile infection: HR, 6.23; 95% CI, 2.24-17.32; allergic reaction: HR, 4.14; 95% CI, 2.48-6.92). Thirty-day attributable health care expenditures were generally higher among children who received inappropriate antibiotics, ranging from $21 to $56 for bacterial infections and from -$96 to $97 for viral infections. National annual attributable expenditure estimates were highest for suppurative OM ($25.3 million), pharyngitis ($21.3 million), and viral URI ($19.1 million). In this cohort study of children with common infections treated in an outpatient setting, inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions were common and associated with increased risks of adverse drug events and higher attributable health care expenditures. These findings highlight the individual- and national-level consequences of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and further support implementation of outpatient antibiotic stewardship programs.

Higher childhood pneumonia admission threshold remains in Lao PDR: an observational study

ObjectivesWHO Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines changed pneumonia hospitalisation criteria in 2014, which was implemented in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) in 2015. We determined adherence to:...

Outpatient antibiotic prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic–United States, January 2019–October 2021

Background: Improving antibiotic use is a key strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance. Here, we have described national outpatient antibiotic prescribing trends during the COVID-19 pandemic. We compared the monthly numbers of prescriptions in 2020–2021 to those from 2019 to describe the impact of the pandemic and to highlight areas for improvement. Methods: We used the IQVIA National Prescription Audit (NPA) data set to identify all antibiotic prescriptions dispensed from US retail pharmacies during January 2019–October 2021. We calculated the percentage change in volume of prescriptions for each month during the pandemic (beginning in March 2020) compared to the baseline (defined as the corresponding month in 2019). Data were characterized by patient age group (0–19 years, 20–64 years, ≥65 years) and antibiotic class and drug, including azithromycin. Results: Antibiotic prescriptions were lower than baseline during March 2020–June 2021. The greatest decrease in antibiotic prescribing volume occurred in May 2020 (40.0% lower than May 2019) (Fig. 1), with the greatest decreases among children 0–19 years of age. However, prescribing was similar to baseline levels in July–August 2021 (Fig. 1). Specifically, azithromycin prescribing exceeded the 2019 baseline by 11.0% in July and further to a 34.5% increase in August 2021 (Fig. 2). Increases in azithromycin prescribing in August 2021 were observed across all age groups: 20–64 years (46.9% above baseline), ≥65 years (25.3% above baseline), and children 0–19 years (7.8% above baseline). Conclusions: Antibiotic prescribing volume was lower during 2020 and the first half of 2021 compared to the corresponding months in 2019. Decreases in outpatient antibiotic prescriptions during the pandemic likely reflect decreased utilization of outpatient healthcare and decreased transmission of non–COVID-19 infections secondary to nonpharmaceutical interventions (eg, masking, social distancing, school closures). However, outpatient antibiotic prescribing levels in general, and azithromycin prescribing in particular, approached or exceeded prepandemic levels in July and August 2021. Ongoing surveillance and sustained outpatient antibiotic stewardship efforts are needed to optimize antibiotic use during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Outpatient Antibiotic Prescriptions in France: Patients and Providers Characteristics and Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In France, despite several successive plans to control antimicrobial resistance, antibiotic use remains high in the outpatient setting. This study aims to better understand outpatient antibiotic use and prescription in order to identify tailored targets for future public health actions. Using data from the French National Health Data System, we described and compared the individual characteristics of patients with and without an antibiotic prescription. The prescribed antibiotics (ATC-J01) were detailed and compared between 2019 and 2020. Antibiotic prescribing indicators that take prescriber activity into account were estimated and compared. Patients who were female, advanced age, and the presence of comorbidities were associated with antibiotic prescriptions. The overall prescription rate was estimated at 134 per 1000 consultations and 326 per 1000 patients seen in 2019. General practitioners (GPs), dentists and paediatricians were associated with 78.0%, 12.2% and 2.2% of antibiotic prescriptions, respectively, with high prescription rates (391, 447, and 313 p. 1000 patients seen, respectively). In comparison with 2019, this rate decreased in 2020 for paediatricians (−30.4%) and GPs (−17.9%) whereas it increased among dentists (+17.9%). The reduction was twice as high among the male prescribers than among their female counterparts (−26.6 and −12.0, respectively). The reduction in prescriptions observed in 2020 (−18.2%) was more marked in children (−35.8%) but less so among individuals ≥65 years (−13.1%) and those with comorbidities (−12.5%). The decrease in penicillin prescriptions represents 67.3% of the overall reduction observed in 2020. The heterogeneous decrease in prescriptions by age and antibiotic class could be explained by the impact of COVID-19 control measures on the spread of respiratory viruses; thus, a substantial proportion of the prescriptions avoided in 2020 is likely inappropriate, particularly among children. In order to keep the rate of prescriptions comparable to that observed in 2020, male prescribers, paediatricians and GPs should be encouraged to maintain that level, while a campaign to raise awareness of the appropriate use of antibiotics should be aimed at dentists in particular.

A multimodal intervention to decrease inappropriate outpatient antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections in a large integrated healthcare system.

To evaluate the effectiveness of Carolinas Healthcare Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship Empowerment Network (CHOSEN), a multicomponent outpatient stewardship program to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory infections by 20% over 2 years. Before-and-after interrupted time series of antibiotics prescribed between 2 periods: April 2016-October 2017 and May 2018-March 2020. The study included 162 primary-care practices within a large healthcare system in the greater Charlotte, North Carolina region. Adult and pediatric patients with encounters for upper respiratory infections for which an antibiotic is inappropriate. Patient and provider educational materials, along with a web-based provider prescribing dashboard aimed at reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing were developed and distributed. Monthly antibiotic prescribing rates were calculated as the number of eligible encounters with an antibiotic prescribed divided by the total number of eligible encounters. A segmented regression analysis compared monthly antibiotic prescribing rates before versus after CHOSEN implementation, while also accounting for practice type and seasonal trends in prescribing. Overall, 286,580 antibiotics were prescribed during 704,248 preintervention encounters and 277,177 during 832,200 intervention encounters. Significant reductions in inappropriate prescribing rates were observed in all outpatient specialties: family medicine (relative difference before and after the intervention, -20.4%), internal medicine (-19.5%), pediatric medicine (-17.2%), and urgent care (-16.6%). A robust multimodal intervention that combined a provider prescribing dashboard with a targeted education campaign demonstrated significant decreases in inappropriate outpatient antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections in a large integrated ambulatory network.

PD32-05 RATE OF PROGRESSION TO SEPSIS FOLLOWING PRESENTATION FOR ACUTE CYSTITIS

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 May 2022PD32-05 RATE OF PROGRESSION TO SEPSIS FOLLOWING PRESENTATION FOR ACUTE CYSTITIS Daniela Kaefer, Jeffrey Chiang, and A. Lenore Ackerman Daniela KaeferDaniela Kaefer More articles by this author , Jeffrey ChiangJeffrey Chiang More articles by this author , and A. Lenore AckermanA. Lenore Ackerman More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002583.05AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Urinary tract infection is one of the leading causes of bacterial infections in adults, with an annual incidence of 3% for males and 12.6% for females. Annual cost of UTI care is in excess of $3 billion dollars in the US alone, and with abundant outpatient antibiotic prescriptions written for cystitis despite a lack of evidence that this improves outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the incidence of presentation for cystitis at a tertiary academic medical center, associated rate of culture confirmed urinary tract infections, and rate of progression to sepsis based on initial visit type. We hypothesized a higher positive culture rate and progression to sepsis for patients initially presenting in the hospital setting. METHODS: We queried the Discovery Data Mart administered by the UCLA Office of Health Informatics and Analytics to identify direct patient encounters for acute cystitis based on corresponding ICD code from January 1, 2013 through July 1, 2021. Encounters were characterized as outpatient (office or telemedicine), or hospital-based encounters. Corresponding urinalysis and culture data was obtained in addition to patient demographics. Encounters were screened for subsequent outpatient encounters, hospital admissions, or sepsis diagnosis within seven days of initial visit. RESULTS: We identified 511,622 encounters for acute cystitis, of which 181,568 met inclusion criteria. The majority of encounters were office visits (74.5%) compared to hospital-based (21.9%) or telemedicine (3.6%) visits. Only 32,326 (17.8%) were associated with a positive urine culture. A urinalysis was not ordered in 67,386 (37.1%) of encounters, with telemedicine having a significantly lower rate of UA orders (3% vs 78% hospital and 61% office, p<0.00001). 42,772 patients had a follow up encounter within 7 days, of which only 6,411 were hospital encounters. Only 946 patients (0.5%) progressed to sepsis within 7 days, the majority of which were hospital encounters (1% vs 0.3 office and telemedicine, p<0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: Overall rate of progression to sepsis within one week following diagnosis of acute cystitis is low. Initial encounter in a hospital setting showed higher rate of progression compared to outpatient office or telemedicine visits. Risk of empiric antibiotic therapy and antibiotic stewardship must be considered given low rate of positive cultures and overall risk of progression to sepsis. Source of Funding: none © 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 207Issue Supplement 5May 2022Page: e548 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Daniela Kaefer More articles by this author Jeffrey Chiang More articles by this author A. Lenore Ackerman More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...

Is there a role for antibiotics in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis?

Rhinosinusitis is one of the most common reasons for adult outpatient antibiotic prescriptions, though there is little clinical evidence to support this practice, especially for chronic rhinosinusitis. Despite considerable research, the etiology of chronic rhinosinusitis, including the pathogenic role of microbes, remains poorly understood. Rigorous studies of the efficacy of antibiotic treatment of chronic sinusitis are surprisingly few in number and the results are somewhat conflicting. This review article will review the rationales for and against the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with antibiotics, based on current evidence and understanding of pathophysiology, and will also summarize the current guidelines.

Identifying Higher-Volume Antibiotic Outpatient Prescribers Using Publicly Available Medicare Part D Data - United States, 2019.

Antibiotic prescribing can lead to adverse drug events and antibiotic resistance, which pose ongoing urgent public health threats (1). Adults aged ≥65 years (older adults) are recipients of the highest rates of outpatient antibiotic prescribing and are at increased risk for antibiotic-related adverse events, including Clostridioides difficile and antibiotic-resistant infections and related deaths (1). Variation in antibiotic prescribing quality is primarily driven by prescribing patterns of individual health care providers, independent of patients' underlying comorbidities and diagnoses (2). Engaging higher-volume prescribers (the top 10% of prescribers by antibiotic volume) in antibiotic stewardship interventions, such as peer comparison audit and feedback in which health care providers receive data on their prescribing performance compared with that of other health care providers, has been effective in reducing antibiotic prescribing in outpatient settings and can be implemented on a large scale (3-5). This study analyzed data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Part D Prescriber Public Use Files (PUFs)* to describe higher-volume antibiotic prescribers in outpatient settings compared with lower-volume prescribers (the lower 90% of prescribers by antibiotic volume). Among the 59.4 million antibiotic prescriptions during 2019, 41% (24.4 million) were prescribed by the top 10% of prescribers (69,835). The antibiotic prescribing rate of these higher-volume prescribers (680 prescriptions per 1,000 beneficiaries) was 60% higher than that of lower-volume prescribers (426 prescriptions per 1,000 beneficiaries). Identifying health care providers responsible for a higher volume of antibiotic prescribing could provide a basis for additional assessment of appropriateness and outreach. Public health organizations and health care systems can use publicly available data to guide focused interventions to optimize antibiotic prescribing to limit the emergence of antibiotic resistance and improve patient outcomes.

Using machine learning to examine drivers of inappropriate outpatient antibiotic prescribing in acute respiratory illnesses.

Using a machine-learning model, we examined drivers of antibiotic prescribing for antibiotic-inappropriate acute respiratory illnesses in a large US claims data set. Antibiotics were prescribed in 11% of the 42 million visits in our sample. The model identified outpatient setting type, patient age mix, and state as top drivers of prescribing.

A qualitative assessment of nonclinical drivers of pediatric outpatient antibiotic prescribing: The importance of continuity.

Antibiotic overuse is common in outpatient pediatrics and varies across clinical setting and clinician type. We sought to identify social, behavioral, and environmental drivers of outpatient antibiotic prescribing for pediatric patients. We conducted semistructured interviews with physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) across diverse outpatient settings including pediatric primary, urgent, and retail care. We used the grounded theory constant comparative method and a thematic approach to analysis. We developed a conceptual model, building on domains of continuity to map common themes and their relationships within the healthcare system. We interviewed 55 physicians and APPs. Clinicians across all settings prioritized provision of guideline-concordant care but implemented these guidelines with varying degrees of success. The provision of guideline-concordant care was influenced by the patient-clinician relationship and patient or parent expectations (relational continuity); the clinician's access to patient clinical history (informational continuity); and the consistency of care delivered (management continuity). No difference in described themes was determined by setting or clinician type; however, clinicians in primary care described having more reliable relational and informational continuity. Clinicians described the absence of long-term relationships (relational continuity) and lack of availability of prior clinical history (informational continuity) as factors that may influence outpatient antibiotic prescribing. Guideline-concordant outpatient antibiotic prescribing was facilitated by consistent practice across settings (management continuity) and the presence of relational and informational continuity, which are common only in primary care. Management continuity may be more modifiable than informational and relational continuity and thus a focus for outpatient stewardship programs.

Trends in outpatient antibiotic prescriptions by emergency physicians of a tertiary hospital in UAE: a retrospective cross-sectional study

Trends in outpatient antibiotic prescriptions by emergency physicians of a tertiary hospital in UAE: a retrospective cross-sectional study