BACKGROUND: Early antiviral treatment (≤2 days since illness onset) of influenza reduces the probability of influenza-associated complications. Early empiric antiviral treatment is recommended for those with suspected influenza at higher risk for influenza complications regardless of their illness severity. We describe antiviral receipt among outpatients with acute respiratory illness (ARI) and antibiotic receipt among patients with influenza. METHODS: We analyzed data from 5 sites in the US Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network Study during the 2012-2013 influenza season. Subjects were outpatients aged ≥6 months with ARI defined by cough of ≤7 days' duration; all were tested for influenza by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Medical history and prescription information were collected by medical and pharmacy records. Four sites collected prescribing data on 3 common antibiotics (amoxicillin-clavulanate, amoxicillin, and azithromycin). RESULTS: Of 6766 enrolled ARI patients, 509 (7.5%) received an antiviral prescription. Overall, 2366 (35%) had PCR-confirmed influenza; 355 (15%) of those received an antiviral prescription. Among 1021 ARI patients at high risk for influenza complications (eg, aged <2 years or ≥65 years or with ≥1 chronic medical condition) presenting to care ≤2 days from symptom onset, 195 (19%) were prescribed an antiviral medication. Among participants with PCR-confirmed influenza and antibiotic data, 540 of 1825 (30%) were prescribed 1 of 3 antibiotics; 297 of 1825 (16%) were prescribed antiviral medications. CONCLUSIONS: Antiviral treatment was prescribed infrequently among outpatients with influenza for whom therapy would be most beneficial; in contrast, antibiotic prescribing was more frequent. Continued efforts to educate clinicians on appropriate antibiotic and antiviral use are essential to improve healthcare quality. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.
BACKGROUND: Early antiviral treatment (≤2 days since illness onset) of influenza reduces the probability of influenza-associated complications. Early empiric antiviral treatment is recommended for those with suspected influenza at higher risk for influenza complications regardless of their illness severity. We describe antiviral receipt among outpatients with acute respiratory illness (ARI) and antibiotic receipt among patients with influenza. METHODS: We analyzed data from 5 sites in the US Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network Study during the 2012-2013 influenza season. Subjects were outpatients aged ≥6 months with ARI defined by cough of ≤7 days' duration; all were tested for influenza by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Medical history and prescription information were collected by medical and pharmacy records. Four sites collected prescribing data on 3 common antibiotics (amoxicillin-clavulanate, amoxicillin, and azithromycin). RESULTS: Of 6766 enrolled ARI patients, 509 (7.5%) received an antiviral prescription. Overall, 2366 (35%) had PCR-confirmed influenza; 355 (15%) of those received an antiviral prescription. Among 1021 ARI patients at high risk for influenza complications (eg, aged <2 years or ≥65 years or with ≥1 chronic medical condition) presenting to care ≤2 days from symptom onset, 195 (19%) were prescribed an antiviral medication. Among participants with PCR-confirmed influenza and antibiotic data, 540 of 1825 (30%) were prescribed 1 of 3 antibiotics; 297 of 1825 (16%) were prescribed antiviral medications. CONCLUSIONS: Antiviral treatment was prescribed infrequently among outpatients with influenza for whom therapy would be most beneficial; in contrast, antibiotic prescribing was more frequent. Continued efforts to educate clinicians on appropriate antibiotic and antiviral use are essential to improve healthcare quality. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.
Authors: Edward A Belongia; Stephanie A Irving; Stephen C Waring; Laura A Coleman; Jennifer K Meece; Mary Vandermause; Stephen Lindstrom; Debra Kempf; David K Shay Journal: JAMA Date: 2010-09-08 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Timothy M Uyeki; Henry H Bernstein; John S Bradley; Janet A Englund; Thomas M File; Alicia M Fry; Stefan Gravenstein; Frederick G Hayden; Scott A Harper; Jon Mark Hirshon; Michael G Ison; B Lynn Johnston; Shandra L Knight; Allison McGeer; Laura E Riley; Cameron R Wolfe; Paul E Alexander; Andrew T Pavia Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2019-03-05 Impact factor: 9.079
Authors: Fiona Havers; Brendan Flannery; Jessie R Clippard; Manjusha Gaglani; Richard K Zimmerman; Lisa A Jackson; Joshua G Petrie; Huong Q McLean; Mary Patricia Nowalk; Michael L Jackson; Arnold S Monto; Edward A Belongia; Heather F Eng; Lois Lamerato; Angela P Campbell; Alicia M Fry Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2015-02-25 Impact factor: 9.079
Authors: Ikwo K Oboho; Anna Bramley; Lyn Finelli; Alicia Fry; Krow Ampofo; Sandra R Arnold; Wesley H Self; Derek J Williams; D Mark Courtney; Yuwei Zhu; Evan J Anderson; Carlos G Grijalva; Jonathan A McCullers; Richard G Wunderink; Andrew T Pavia; Kathryn M Edwards; Seema Jain Journal: Open Forum Infect Dis Date: 2016-12-27 Impact factor: 3.835
Authors: Marc R Miller; Timothy R Peters; Cynthia K Suerken; Beverly M Snively; Katherine A Poehling Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2015-05-04 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: Melissa A Rolfes; Alexander J Millman; Pamela Talley; Lina I Elbadawi; Natalie A Kramer; John R Barnes; Lenee Blanton; Jeffrey P Davis; Stefanie Cole; John J Dreisig; Rebecca Garten; Thomas Haupt; Mary Anne Jackson; Anna Kocharian; Daniel Leifer; Ruth Lynfield; Karen Martin; Lisa McHugh; Sara Robinson; George Turabelidze; Lori A Webber; Meghan Pearce Weinberg; David E Wentworth; Lyn Finelli; Michael A Jhung Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2018-08-01 Impact factor: 9.079
Authors: Ashley L Fowlkes; Andrea Steffens; Carrie Reed; Jonathan L Temte; Angela P Campbell Journal: Open Forum Infect Dis Date: 2019-04-26 Impact factor: 3.835