Antibiotic prescribing patterns of French GPs for upper respiratory tract infections: impact of fusafungine on rates of prescription of systemic antibiotics.

Introduction: Despite attempts to limit their use, systemic antibiotics are extensively prescribed for respiratory infections in France. This survey analyzed data from the Thales database, which contains information from 1010 representative French general practitioners (GPs). The objective was to assess French GP prescribing patterns in upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) including the rate of prescription of systemic antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs in the presence or absence of prescribing fusafungine (Locabiotal) an antibiotic with anti-inflammatory activity indicated for local use in URTIs. Drug costs to the French National Sickness Fund were also assessed.

Methods: This was a retrospective, longitudinal, case-control analysis. Prescribing patterns and costs were compared between patients who did and patients who did not receive fusafungine for a URTI (rhinopharyngitis, tonsillitis, or an influenza-like condition). The fusafungine group consisted of all patients in the database who were prescribed fusafungine at least once between 1 December 1999 and 30 November 2000. The control group was made up of randomly selected patients, matched for age and sex with the study group, who received at least one drug prescription (but not fusafungine) for a URTI during the same period. Patients were selected at the time of their first prescription, and their records for 1 year were analyzed.

Results: Each group contained 22 164 patients. For URTIs overall, systemic antibiotics were widely prescribed (at a rate of 54.6% and 67.8% in the fusafungine and control groups, respectively; p < 0.01). The rate of prescription of systemic antibiotics, NSAIDs and corticosteroids per prescription and per episode was significantly lower in the fusafungine group than in the control group. The mean cost per prescription for the French National Sickness Fund was significantly lower for the three URTIs overall when fusafungine was prescribed (9.21 euros [euro] vs euro9.67; p < 0.01). The mean cost to the National Sickness Fund per prescription of systemic antibiotics, NSAIDs, and corticosteroids was also significantly lower in the fusafungine group compared with the control group. The cost of nasal preparations was higher in the fusafungine group because Locabiotal is classified as a nasal preparation. The cost per prescription to the National Sickness Fund was increased by the presence of systemic antibiotics, NSAIDs, or corticosteroids among the prescribed drugs and decreased with the prescription of fusafungine.

Conclusion: When fusafungine was prescribed for URTIs, fewer systemic antibiotics were prescribed, an important result in the current context of concern about emerging antibiotic resistance. The use of fusafungine was associated with a lower mean cost per prescription to the French National Sickness Fund.