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Research article:

Antibiotic prescribing for common infections in UK general practice: variability and drivers

Reference:

Victoria Palin, Anna Mölter, Miguel Belmonte, Darren Ashcroft, Andrew White, William Welfare, Tjeerd van Staa(2018) Antibiotic prescribing for common infections in UK general practice: variability and drivers. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, doi:

Link to article
Abstract
Objectives: To examine variations across general practices and factors associated with antibiotic prescribing for common infections in UK primary care to identify potential targets for improvement and optimisation of prescribing. Methods: Oral antibiotics prescribing for common infections were analysed using anonymised UK primary care electronic health records between 2000 and 2015 using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). The rate of prescribing for each condition was observed over time and the correlation of prescribing between each condition estimated within a practice. Drivers of prescribing were estimated using logistic regression in a matched patient cohort (1:1 by age, sex and date). Results: Over 8 million patient records were examined in 587 general practices in the UK. Practices varied considerably in their propensity to prescribe antibiotics and this variance increased over time (except in cases of urinary tract infection (UTI)). Change points in prescribing did not reflect updates to national guidelines and prescribing for different infectious conditions varied within practices. A previous history of antibiotic use significantly increased the risk of receiving a subsequent antibiotic (by 22-48% for patients with ≥ 3 antibiotic prescriptions in the past 12 months), as did higher BMI, history of smoking and flu vaccinations. Other drivers for receiving an antibiotic varied considerably for each condition. Conclusions: Large variability in antibiotic prescribing between practices was observed. Prescribing guidelines alone do not positively influence a change in prescribing, suggesting more targeted interventions are required to optimise antibiotic prescribing in the UK.
Author for correspondence
Victoria Palin
Email for correspondence
victoria.palin@manchester.ac.uk

Code list: res70: Sore throat

35 codes in list

Code Coding system Description Entity type List name
1C9..00 Read Sore throat symptom diagnostic res70: Sore throat
1C9..11 Read Throat soreness diagnostic res70: Sore throat
1C9Z.00 Read Sore throat symptom NOS diagnostic res70: Sore throat
AA1..00 Read Vincent's angina diagnostic res70: Sore throat
AA10.00 Read Vincent's stomatitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
AA11.00 Read Vincent's gingivitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
AA1..11 Read Trench mouth diagnostic res70: Sore throat
AA12.00 Read Vincent's pharyngitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
AA1z.00 Read Vincent's angina NOS diagnostic res70: Sore throat
AA1z.11 Read Vincent's laryngitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
AA1z.12 Read Vincent's tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H02..00 Read Acute pharyngitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H021.00 Read Acute phlegmonous pharyngitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H02..11 Read Sore throat NOS diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H02..12 Read Viral sore throat NOS diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H02..13 Read Throat infection - pharyngitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H022.00 Read Acute ulcerative pharyngitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H023.00 Read Acute bacterial pharyngitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H023z00 Read Acute bacterial pharyngitis NOS diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H02z.00 Read Acute pharyngitis NOS diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H03..00 Read Acute tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H030.00 Read Acute erythematous tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H031.00 Read Acute follicular tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H03..11 Read Throat infection - tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H03..12 Read Tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H032.00 Read Acute ulcerative tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H033.00 Read Acute catarrhal tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H035.00 Read Acute bacterial tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H035100 Read Acute staphylococcal tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H035z00 Read Acute bacterial tonsillitis NOS diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H037.00 Read Recurrent acute tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H03z.00 Read Acute tonsillitis NOS diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H14y500 Read Caseous tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
H14y600 Read Lingular tonsillitis diagnostic res70: Sore throat
R041.00 Read [D]Throat pain diagnostic res70: Sore throat

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