open access publication

Article, 2024

Optimising antibiotic exposure by customising the duration of treatment for respiratory tract infections based on patient needs in primary care

EClinicalMedicine, ISSN 2589-5370, Volume 74, Page 102723, 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102723

Contributors

Llor, Carles 0000-0001-6644-717X (Corresponding author) [1] [2] [3] Frimodt-Møller, Niels [4] Miravitlles, Marc M 0000-0002-9850-9520 [5] Kahlmeter, Gunnar 0000-0001-9993-9891 [6] Bjerrum, Lars 0000-0003-0969-0063 [7]

Affiliations

  1. [1] Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red
    2. [NORA names: Spain; Europe, EU; OECD];
  2. [2] Institut Català de la Salut
    3. [NORA names: Spain; Europe, EU; OECD];
  3. [3] University of Southern Denmark
    4. [NORA names: SDU University of Southern Denmark; University; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD];
  4. [4] Rigshospitalet
    5. [NORA names: Capital Region of Denmark; Hospital; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD];
  5. [5] Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca
    6. [NORA names: Spain; Europe, EU; OECD];

Abstract

Primary care antimicrobial stewardship programs have limited success in reducing antibiotic use, prompting the search for new strategies. Convincing general practitioners to resist antibiotic prescription amid uncertainty or patient demands usually poses a significant challenge. Despite common practice, standard durations for common infections lack support from clinical studies. Contrary to common belief, extending antibiotic treatment beyond the resolution of symptoms does not seem to prevent or reduce antimicrobial resistance. Shortening the duration of antibiotic therapy has shown to be effective in mitigating the spread of resistance, particularly in cases of pneumonia. Recent hospital randomised trials suggest that ending antibiotic courses by day three for most lower respiratory tract infections is effective and safe. While community studies are scarce, it is likely that these shorter, tailored courses to meet patients' needs would also be effective and safe in primary care. Therefore, primary care studies should investigate the outcomes of advising patients to discontinue antibiotic treatment upon symptom resolution. Implementing patient-centred, customised treatment durations, rather than fixed courses, is crucial for meeting individual patient needs.

Keywords

Convincing, antibiotic courses, antibiotic exposure, antibiotic prescriptions, antibiotic therapy, antibiotic treatment, antibiotic use, antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship programs, beliefs, care, care studies, cases, cases of pneumonia, clinical studies, community, community studies, course, days, demand, discontinue antibiotic treatment, duration, duration of antibiotic therapy, duration of treatment, exposure, general practitioners, individual patient needs, infection, lower respiratory tract infections, needs, outcomes, patient demand, patient needs, patient-centred, patients, pneumonia, practice, practitioners, prescription, primary care, primary care study, program, randomised trials, reduce antibiotic use, resistance, resolution, resolution of symptoms, respiratory tract infections, search, spread, spread of resistance, standard duration, stewardship programs, strategies, study, success, symptom resolution, symptoms, therapy, tract infections, treatment, treatment duration, trials, use

Funders

  • Novo Nordisk (Denmark)
  • Grifols (Spain)

Data Provider: Digital Science

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