OBJECTIVE: To determine whether postdating delayed antibiotic prescriptions results in a further decrease (over usual delayed prescriptions) in antibiotic use. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING:A small rural town in Newfoundland and Labrador. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 149 consecutive adult primary care patients who presented with acute upper respiratory tract infections. INTERVENTION: Delayed prescriptions for patients who might require antibiotics were randomly dated either the day of the office visit (ie, the usual group) or 2 days later (ie, the postdated group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Whether or not the prescriptions were filled and the time it took for the patients to fill the prescriptions were noted by the 4 local pharmacies and relayed to the investigators. RESULTS: In total, 149 delayed antibiotic prescriptions were written, 1 per patient. Of the 74 usual delayed prescriptions given out, 32 (43.2%) were filled; of the 75 postdated delayed prescriptions given out, 33 (44.0%) were filled. Sixteen patients from each group filled their delayed prescriptions earlier than the recommended 48 hours. Statistical analyses-χ² tests to compare the rates of antibiotic use between the 2 groups and t tests to compare the mean time to fill the prescription between the 2 groups-indicated that these results were not significant (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Although delayed prescriptions reduce the rate of antibiotic use, postdating the delayed prescription does not seem to lead to further reduction in use.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether postdating delayed antibiotic prescriptions results in a further decrease (over usual delayed prescriptions) in antibiotic use. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: A small rural town in Newfoundland and Labrador. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 149 consecutive adult primary care patients who presented with acute upper respiratory tract infections. INTERVENTION: Delayed prescriptions for patients who might require antibiotics were randomly dated either the day of the office visit (ie, the usual group) or 2 days later (ie, the postdated group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Whether or not the prescriptions were filled and the time it took for the patients to fill the prescriptions were noted by the 4 local pharmacies and relayed to the investigators. RESULTS: In total, 149 delayed antibiotic prescriptions were written, 1 per patient. Of the 74 usual delayed prescriptions given out, 32 (43.2%) were filled; of the 75 postdated delayed prescriptions given out, 33 (44.0%) were filled. Sixteen patients from each group filled their delayed prescriptions earlier than the recommended 48 hours. Statistical analyses-χ² tests to compare the rates of antibiotic use between the 2 groups and t tests to compare the mean time to fill the prescription between the 2 groups-indicated that these results were not significant (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Although delayed prescriptions reduce the rate of antibiotic use, postdating the delayed prescription does not seem to lead to further reduction in use.
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