Xingrong Shen , Beth Stuart , Enci Cui , Rong Liu , Tingting Zhang , Jing Chai , Wenjuan Cong , Xiaowen Hu , Isabel Oliver , Guiqing Yao , Paul Little , Helen Lambert , Lucy Yardley , Christie Cabral , Debin Wang
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Excessive use of antibiotics is a widespread problem. We aim to evaluate the efficacy of a multifaceted intervention for reducing antibiotic use in patients with respiratory tract infections (RTIs).
Methods
In this two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial, we enrolled patients aged 18+ with symptomatic RTIs at 40 township health centers (THCs) selected from 10 counties in Anhui, China. The THCs were randomized using an online tool (‘Sealed Envelope’) to intervention or usual care (1:1 ratio), stratified by baseline antibiotic prescribing and with random block sizes (4 or 6). The intervention had five components: a half-day clinician training, a WeChat-based peer support group, a decision aid, a poster commitment letter and a patient leaflet. The primary outcome was whether antibiotics were prescribed at the index consultation. Secondary measures included defined daily dose (DDD), illness recovery rate, re-visits to other care-givers or retail pharmacies and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). These measures were analyzed using generalized linear mixed modeling controlling for clustering. The study was registered as ISRCTN30652037.
Findings
Between December 2021 and September 2022, 1053 patients were recruited (intervention, 21 THCs, n = 552; control, 19 THCs, n = 501), using consecutive sampling. Antibiotic prescribing rate was 55.25% and 66.67% in the intervention and control arms (Odds ratio 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.27, 0.98; p = 0.044). The intervention group also had lower, significant or non-significant, differences for other markers of antibiotic use: DDD (1.57 vs 2.75); prescriptions of two or more types of antibiotics (9.78% vs 11.58%); obtaining antibiotics from retail pharmacies (3.68% vs 5.78) or from other clinics (2.70% vs 4.05%). The intervention resulted in a cost reduction of 9.265 RMB (1.471 USD) per consultation episode and an ICER of −7769.98 RMB or −1233.33 USD/QALYs. The intervention did not encounter any major adverse event.
Interpretation
The intervention package was effective and cost-effective in reducing antibiotics prescribing without adverse effects.
Funding
The trial was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81861138049) and United Kingdom Research Innovation (No. MR/S013717/1).
期刊介绍：
The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific, a gold open access journal, is an integral part of The Lancet's global initiative advocating for healthcare quality and access worldwide. It aims to advance clinical practice and health policy in the Western Pacific region, contributing to enhanced health outcomes. The journal publishes high-quality original research shedding light on clinical practice and health policy in the region. It also includes reviews, commentaries, and opinion pieces covering diverse regional health topics, such as infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, child and adolescent health, maternal and reproductive health, aging health, mental health, the health workforce and systems, and health policy.
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