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Appropriateness of antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections in Tunisian primary care and emergency departments: a multicenter cross-sectional study.


ABSTRACT:

Background

Little is known about the pattern and appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions in patients with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs).

Objective

Describe the antibiotics used to treat ARTIs in Tunisian primary care offices and emergency departments (EDs), and assess the appropriateness of their use.

Methods

It was a prospective multicenter cross-sectional observational clinical study conducted at 63 primary care offices and 6 EDS during a period of 8 months. Appropriateness of antibiotic prescription was evaluated by trained physicians using the medication appropriateness index (MAI). The MAI ratings generated a weighted score of 0 to 18 with higher scores indicating low appropriateness. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and national and institutional standards. The study was approved by the Ethics committee of Monastir Medical Faculty.

Results

From the 12,880 patients screened we included 9886 patients. The mean age was 47.4, and 55.4% were men. The most frequent diagnosis of ARTI was were acute bronchitis (45.3%), COPD exacerbation (16.3%), tonsillitis (14.6%), rhinopharyngitis (12.2%) and sinusitis (11.5%). The most prescribed classes of antibiotics were penicillins (58.3%), fluoroquinolones (17.6%), and macrolides (16.9%). Antibiotic therapy was inappropriate in 75.5% of patients of whom 65.2% had bronchitis. 65% of patients had one or more antibiotic prescribing inappropriateness criteria as assessed by the MAI. The most frequently rated criteria were with expensiveness (75.8%) and indication (40%). Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and levofloxacin were the most inappropriately prescribed antibiotics. History of cardiac ischemia ([OR] 3.66; 95% [CI] 2.17-10.26; p < 0.001), asthma ([OR] 3.29, 95% [CI] 1.77-6.13; p < 0.001), diabetes ([OR] 2.09, 95% [CI] 1.54-2.97; p = 0.003), history of COPD ([OR] 1.75, 95% [CI] 1.43-2.15; p < 0.001) and age > 65 years (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-1.58; p < 0.001) were associated with a higher likelihood of inappropriate prescribing.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate a high inappropriate use of antibiotics in ARTIs treated in in primary care and EDs. This was mostly related to antibiotic prescription in acute bronchitis and overuse of expensive broad spectrum antibiotics. Future interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing in primary care and EDs is needed.

Trial registration

the trial is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov registry (NCT04482231).

SUBMITTER: Bel Haj Ali K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9682766 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Appropriateness of antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections in Tunisian primary care and emergency departments: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

Bel Haj Ali Khaoula K   Sekma Adel A   Messous Selma S   Trabelsi Imen I   Ben Youssef Jalel J   Maghraoui Hamida H   Razgallah Rabie R   Walha Adel A   Grissa Mohamed Habib MH   Beltaief Kaouthar K   Mezgar Zied Z   Coubantini Ahmed A   Bouida Wahid W   Msolli Mohamed Amine MA   Boukef Riadh R   Boubaker Hamdi H   Nouira Semir S  

BMC primary care 20221122 1


<h4>Background</h4>Little is known about the pattern and appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions in patients with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs).<h4>Objective</h4>Describe the antibiotics used to treat ARTIs in Tunisian primary care offices and emergency departments (EDs), and assess the appropriateness of their use.<h4>Methods</h4>It was a prospective multicenter cross-sectional observational clinical study conducted at 63 primary care offices and 6 EDS during a period of 8 mont  ...[more]

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