Rapid Microbe Testing Does Not Cut Antibiotic Prescribing
A study found that rapid microbiological point-of-care testing (RM-POCT) for respiratory infections did not significantly reduce same-day antibiotic prescribing compared to usual care. However, it did lead to a decrease in antibiotic prescriptions when a virus was detected. The findings suggest that RM-POCT may not be clinically effective in improving patient outcomes in primary care settings.
- ▪The study involved 552 patients with respiratory tract infections across 16 general practices in Southwest England.
- ▪Same-day antibiotic prescribing was observed in 45% of patients in both the RM-POCT and usual care groups, showing no significant difference.
- ▪Antibiotic prescribing was reduced in the RM-POCT group when a virus was detected, with an odds ratio of 0.35.
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TOPLINE:Rapid microbiological point-of-care testing (RM-POCT) for respiratory viruses and atypical bacteria among patients with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in primary care did not reduce same-day antibiotic prescribing compared with usual care. However, antibiotic prescribing was reduced in patients in whom a virus was detected.METHODOLOGY:Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial at 16 general practices in Southwest England (December 2022 to April 2024), enrolling 552 patients aged at least 12 months (mean age, 40.0 years; 63% female; 94% White) with clinician-diagnosed acute RTIs for which antibiotic treatment was considered potentially necessary.Patients were randomly assigned to either the RM-POCT group or the usual care group (n = 276 in each group).
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