Pl Thompson

Effect of Antibiotics for Otitis Media on Mastoiditis in Children: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using the United Kingdom General Practice Research Database

BACKGROUND. Information is needed on whether mastoiditis has increased in association with the decline in antibiotics prescribed to children by primary care physicians in the United Kingdom. OBJECTIVE. To determine time trends in mastoiditis incidence, the frequency of antecedent otitis media, and the effect of antibiotics for otitis media on the risk of mastoiditis in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS. We conducted a retrospective cohort study by using the UK General Practice Research Database. Children aged 3 months to 15 years between 1990 and 2006 were included. Risk of mastoiditis within 3 months after otitis media diagnosis and the protective effect of antibiotics were determined. RESULTS. There were 2 622 348 children within the General Practice Research Database; 854 had mastoiditis, only one third of whom (35.7%) had antecedent otitis media. Mastoiditis incidence remained stable between 1990 and 2006 (∼1.2 per 10 000 child-years). Risk of mastoiditis, after otitis media, was 1.8 per 10 000 episodes (139 of 792 623) after antibiotics compared with 3.8 per 10 000 (149 of 389 649) without antibiotics, and increased with age. Antibiotics halved the risk of mastoiditis. General practitioners would need to treat 4831 otitis media episodes with antibiotics to prevent 1 child from developing mastoiditis. If antibiotics were no longer prescribed for otitis media, an extra 255 cases of childhood mastoiditis would occur, but there would be 738 775 fewer antibiotic prescriptions per year in the United Kingdom. CONCLUSIONS. Most children with mastoiditis have not seen their general practitioner for otitis media. Antibiotics halve the risk of mastoiditis, but the high number of episodes needing treatment to prevent 1 case precludes the treatment of otitis media as a strategy for preventing mastoiditis. Although mastoiditis is a serious disease, most children make an uncomplicated recovery after mastoidectomy or intravenous antibiotics. Treating these additional otitis media episodes could pose a larger public health problem in terms of antibiotic resistance.

Changes in clinical indications for community antibiotic prescribing for children in the UK from 1996 to 2006: will the new NICE prescribing guidance on upper respiratory tract infections just be ignored?

Objective: To analyse changes in clinical indications for community antibiotic prescribing for children in the UK between 1996 and 2006 and relate these findings to the new NICE guidelines for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections in children. Study design: Retrospective cohort study. Method: The IMS Health Mediplus database was used to obtain annual antibiotic prescribing rates and associated clinical indications in 0–18-year-old patients between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 2006 in the UK. Results: Antibiotic prescribing declined by 24% between 1996 and 2000 but increased again by 10% during 2003–2006. Respiratory tract infection was the most common indication for which an antibiotic was prescribed, followed by “abnormal signs and symptoms”, ear and skin infections. Antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory tract infections have decreased by 31% (p<0.01) mainly because of reduced prescribing for lower respiratory tract infections (56% decline, p<0.001) and specific upper respiratory tract infections including tonsillitis/pharyngitis (48% decline, p<0.001) and otitis (46% decline, p<0.001). Prescribing for non-specific upper respiratory tract infection increased fourfold (p<0.001). Prescribing for “abnormal signs and symptoms” increased significantly since 2001 (40% increase, p<0.001). Conclusion: There has been a marked decrease in community antibiotic prescribing linked to lower respiratory tract infection, tonsillitis, pharyngitis and otitis. Overall prescribing is now increasing again but is associated with non-specific upper respiratory tract infection diagnoses. General practitioners may be avoiding using diagnoses where formal guidance suggests antibiotic prescribing is not indicated. The new NICE guidance on upper respiratory tract infections is at risk of being ignored.

Has UK guidance affected general practitioner antibiotic prescribing for otitis media in children

BACKGROUND Since 1997, UK guidance has advocated limiting antibiotic prescribing for otitis media. It is not known whether this has influenced general practitioner prescribing practice. Aims and objectives To investigate the trends in diagnoses and antibiotic prescribing for otitis media in children in relation to guidance. METHODS We used the General Practice Research Database to conduct time-trend analyses of diagnoses and antibiotic prescribing for otitis media in 3 months to 15 years old, between 1990 and 2006. RESULTS A total of 1 210 237 otitis media episodes were identified in 464 845 children; two-thirds (68%; 818 006) received antibiotics. Twenty-two percent (267 335) were classified as acute, 85% (227 335) of which received antibiotics. Overall, antibiotic prescribing for otitis media declined by 51% between 1995 and 2000. Much of this reduction predated guidance. During this period, prescribing for otitis media coded as acute increased by 22%. Children diagnosed with acute otitis media were more likely to receive antibiotics than otitis media not coded as acute (P < 0.05). From 2000 prescribing plateaued, despite publication of further guidance. Otitis media diagnoses consistently paralleled prescribing. CONCLUSIONS The reduction in antibiotic prescribing for otitis media predated guidance. The simultaneous decrease in prescribing for non-acute otitis media and increase for acute otitis media suggest diagnostic transfer, possibly to justify the decision to treat.

Increasing skin infections and Staphylococcus aureus complications in children, England, 1997-2006.

During 1997–2006, general practitioner consultations for skin conditions for children <18 years of age in England increased 19%, from 128.5 to 152.9/1,000 child-years, and antistaphylococcal drug prescription rates increased 64%, from 17.8 to 29.1/1,000 child-years. During the same time period, hospital admissions for Staphylococcus aureus infections rose 49% from 53.4 to 79.3/100,000 child-years.