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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: URTI

40 codes in list

Code Coding system Description Entity type List name
H0...00 Read Acute respiratory infections diagnostic res70: URTI
H04..00 Read Acute laryngitis and tracheitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H040.00 Read Acute laryngitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H040000 Read Acute oedematous laryngitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H040100 Read Acute ulcerative laryngitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H040200 Read Acute catarrhal laryngitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H040300 Read Acute phlegmonous laryngitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H040600 Read Acute suppurative laryngitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H040x00 Read Acute bacterial laryngitis unspecified diagnostic res70: URTI
H040z00 Read Acute laryngitis NOS diagnostic res70: URTI
H041.00 Read Acute tracheitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H041000 Read Acute tracheitis without obstruction diagnostic res70: URTI
H041100 Read Acute tracheitis with obstruction diagnostic res70: URTI
H041z00 Read Acute tracheitis NOS diagnostic res70: URTI
H042.00 Read Acute laryngotracheitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H042000 Read Acute laryngotracheitis without obstruction diagnostic res70: URTI
H042100 Read Acute laryngotracheitis with obstruction diagnostic res70: URTI
H042.11 Read Laryngotracheitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H042z00 Read Acute laryngotracheitis NOS diagnostic res70: URTI
H043.00 Read Acute epiglottitis (non strep) diagnostic res70: URTI
H043000 Read Acute epiglottitis without obstruction diagnostic res70: URTI
H043200 Read Acute obstructive laryngitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H043z00 Read Acute epiglottitis NOS diagnostic res70: URTI
H04z.00 Read Acute laryngitis and tracheitis NOS diagnostic res70: URTI
H05..00 Read Other acute upper respiratory infections diagnostic res70: URTI
H050.00 Read Acute laryngopharyngitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H051.00 Read Acute upper respiratory tract infection diagnostic res70: URTI
H052.00 Read Pharyngotracheitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H053.00 Read Tracheopharyngitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H054.00 Read Recurrent upper respiratory tract infection diagnostic res70: URTI
H055.00 Read Pharyngolaryngitis diagnostic res70: URTI
H05y.00 Read Other upper respiratory infections of multiple sites diagnostic res70: URTI
H05z.00 Read Upper respiratory infection NOS diagnostic res70: URTI
H05z.11 Read Upper respiratory tract infection NOS diagnostic res70: URTI
H0y..00 Read Other specified acute respiratory infections diagnostic res70: URTI
H0z..00 Read Acute respiratory infection NOS diagnostic res70: URTI
H160100 Read Chronic catarrhal laryngitis diagnostic res70: URTI
Hyu0.00 Read [X]Acute upper respiratory infections diagnostic res70: URTI
Hyu0100 Read [X]Acute pharyngitis due to other specified organisms diagnostic res70: URTI
Hyu0200 Read [X]Acute tonsillitis due to other specified organisms diagnostic res70: URTI

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