Interventions to reduce inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics for acute respiratory tract infections: summary and update of a systematic review

What is it about?

There are many ays to approach the problem of over prescribing of antibiotics for acute RTIs, ranging from educational efforts to use of point-of-care laboratory tests. However, it has been unclear how these compare to each other, in which settings and for which patients. This review evaluates the evidence across all intervention types and incorporates evaluation of study quality, and consistency and precision of findings. We also considered whether the intervention had adverse consequences for the patient or the provider. A small number of interventions rose to the top using this rubric, although others show promise.

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Why is it important?

Improving the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing for acute RTIs may help to stem the serious problem of antibiotic resistance. Health-plans and individual clinicians need to understand the pros and cons of applying the various methods of improving appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing for acute RTIs in order to choose specific interventions for specific situations. Some interventions require resources, while others do not. Understanding any potential adverse consequences, and whether these have even been studied is also important in understanding the best fit for their situation.

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