| 1. |
- André, Malin, et al.
(författare)
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The Use of CRP Tests in Patients with Respiratory Tract Infections in Primary Care in Sweden Can Be Questioned
- 2004
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5548 .- 1651-1980. ; 36:3, s. 192-197
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A diagnosis-antibiotic prescribing study was performed in 5 counties in Sweden during 1 week in November in 2000 and 2002 respectively. As a part of the study, the use and results of C-reactive protein (CRP) tests in relation to duration of symptoms and antibiotic prescribing in 6778 patients assigned a diagnosis of respiratory tract infections were analysed. In almost half (42%) of the patients, a CRP test was performed. The majority of CRP tests (69%) were performed in patients assigned diagnosis upper respiratory tract infection, where the test is not recommended. Overall, there was a minor decrease in antibiotic prescribing when CRP was used (41%), in comparison to 44% of the patients where no CRP was performed (p<0.01). Patients assigned diagnoses implying a bacterial aetiology were prescribed antibiotics irrespective of result of CRP or length of symptoms before consultation. For patients assigned viral diagnoses, antibiotic prescribing increased with increasing duration of symptoms and increasing value of CRP. The use of CRP decreased antibiotic prescribing in patients assigned to viral diagnoses and with longstanding symptoms (p<0.001). However, 59% of the patients assigned viral diagnoses with CRP≥25 received antibiotics, which seems to indicate a misinterpretation of CRP and a non-optimal use of antibiotics.
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| 2. |
- André, Malin, et al.
(författare)
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Upper respiratory tract infections in general practice: diagnosis, antibiotic prescribing, duration of symptoms and use of diagnostic tests
- 2002
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2374-4235 .- 0036-5548 .- 1651-1980. ; 34, s. 880-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A diagnosis/antibiotic prescribing study was performed in 5 counties in Sweden for 1 week in November 2000. As part of this study, the characteristics and clinical management of patients with upper respiratory tract infections (n = 2899) in primary care were analyzed. Almost half of the patients were aged < 15 y and one-fifth of the patients consulted out of hours. Of all patients seeking primary care for upper respiratory tract infections, 56.0% were prescribed an antibiotic. Almost all patients who were given the diagnoses streptococcal tonsillitis, acute otitis media or acute sinusitis were prescribed antibiotics, compared to 10% of patients with common cold or acute pharyngitis. The most frequently prescribed antibiotic was penicillin V (79.2%) and this was even more pronounced out of hours, when the diagnoses otitis media and streptococcal tonsillitis were more frequently used. In patients with common cold and acute pharyngitis, the percentage who received antibiotics increased with increasing length of symptoms and increasing CRP levels. In patients with acute pharyngitis or streptococcal tonsillitis, antibiotics were prescribed less frequently provided streptococcal tests were performed. The management of patients with upper respiratory tract infections in general practice seems to be in good agreement with current Swedish guidelines. However, the study indicates some areas for improvement. The diagnosis of acute sinusitis seems to have been overestimated and used only to justify antibiotic treatment.
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