Antibiotic prescription rate for upper respiratory tract infections and risks for unnecessary prescription in Croatia.

Overprescribing of antibiotics in primary care has been recognized as public health problem. We investigated visits prescription rate of antibiotics to patients with upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and unnecessary prescription for tonsillopharyngitis, in Croatia. In prospective observational study in November 2007. 25 GPs in Croatia recorded all patients' visits with URTI episode according ICPC-2. Clinical status of patients with tonsillopharyngitis were categorized according to Centor Criteria. 689 visits were analysed, 82% of visits were initial. Antibiotics were prescribed in 44.7% visits with URTI. There were no significant differences in antibiotic prescription rates regarding non-clinical factors. Antibiotics were prescribed to patients with tonsillopharyngitis in 62.2% visits. Unnecessary antibiotics were prescribed (Centor 1,2) in 49.6% visits with tonsillopharyngitis. Logistic regression analysis showed significant differences in unnecessary antibiotic prescription rates only with respect to the workday--Wednesday, CI (1.117-2.671), p = 0.0139. Leading antibiotic was amoxicillin + clavulonic acid, second was amoxicillin, the third were macrolides, the fourth was narrow spectrum penicillin and fifth were cephalosporins. This study shows over prescription for URTI. Unnecessary prescription for tonsillopharyngitis depend on non clinical factor--day of the week. This should be further explored and help to improved prescribe antibiotics.

[ISKRA guidelines on sore throat: diagnostic and therapeutic approach--Croatian national guidelines]. / Smjernice iskra za grlobolju: dijagnosticki i terapijski pristup--Hrvatske nacionalne smjernice.

Sore throat is most commonly caused by viruses, but when caused by bacteria, the most important is group A streptococcus (GAS). The aim of these guidelines is to determine optimal treatment for streptococcal sore throat and reasonable indications for tonsillectomy, as well as recommend how to differentiate streptococcal infection for which antibiotics are justified, from numerous other sore throats where antibiotics wont have a significant effect on disease course, but might contribute to bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The development of the guidelines was initiated by the Interdisciplinary Section for Antibiotic Resistance Control (ISKRA) of the Croatian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in accordance with the principles of AGREE (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation) methodology which means that the guidelines are the result of consensus between all interested professional societies and institutions. For streptococcal sore throat diagnostics, the Working Group recommends evaluation of clinical presentation according to Centor criteria and for patients with Centor score 0-1, antibiotic therapy is not recommended nor bacteriological testing, while for patients with Centor score 2-4 bacteriological testing is recommended (rapid test or culture) as well as antibiotic therapy in case of positive result. The drug of choice for the treatment of streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis is oral penicillin taken for ten days (penicillin V) or in case of poor patient compliance benzathine penicillin G can be administered parenterally in a single dose. Other antibiotics (macrolides, clindamycin, cephalosporins, co-amoxiclav) are administered only in case of hypersensitivity to penicillin or in recurrent infections. Tonsillectomy is a widely accepted surgical procedure that decreases the number of sore throats in children and should be performed only if indications for this procedure are established. Absolute indications include five or more streptococcal infections per year, tonsillitis complications, permanent respiratory tract obstruction, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and suspected tonsillar malignancy. Relative indications include chronic tonsillitis and occlusion disturbances.

Research of urinary tract infections in family medicine physicians' offices--empiric antimicrobial therapy of urinary tract infections--Croatian experience.

In the period between October 1st and November 30th, 2006, we investigated a total of 3188 episodes of UTI (802 among males; 2386 among females) recorded in 108 family medicine offices in 20 cities in Croatia. The most common UTIs in women were acute uncomplicated cystitis (62%), complicated UTIs - cystitis and pyelonephritis (14%), urethritis (9%), acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis (6%), recurrent cystitis (5%), asymptomatic bacteriuria (3%) and recurrent pyelonephritis. The most common UTIs in men were complicated UTIs - cystitis and pyelonephritis (48%), urethritis (25%), prostatitis (24%) and asymptomatic bacteriuria (3%). Etiological diagnosis was made in 999 (31%) UTI episodes before antimicrobial therapy was given. The most frequently isolated causative pathogens were Escherichia coli (77%), Enterococcus faecalis (9%), Proteus mirabilis (5%), Klebsiella spp (3%), Streptococcus agalactiae (3%) and Enterobacter (1%). Antimicrobial drug was administered in 2939 (92.19%) UTI episodes, in 1940 (66.01%) as empirical therapy, and in 999 (34%) as targeted antimicrobial therapy. The most commonly administered drug in empirical therapy for acute uncomplicated cystitis, recurrent cystitis and urethritis in women was cephalexin, for acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis and complicated UTIs in women co-amoxiclav, and for UTIs in males ciprofloxacin. The results of this research of 3188 UTI episodes in family medicine physicians' offices provide a confirmatory answer to question whether empirical antimicrobial therapy of UTI prescribed by Croatian family practitioners is in accordance with the national guidelines.

[Guidelines for antimicrobial treatment and prophylaxis of urinary tract infections]. / Smjernice antimikrobnog lijecenja i profilakse infekcija mokracnog sustava.

Recommendations for antimicrobial treatment and prophylaxis of urinary tract infections (UTI) have been made according to the results of investigation of resistance of the most frequent causative agents of UTI to antimicrobial drugs. This investigation has been conducted for the past seven years by the Committee for monitoring bacterial resistance to antibiotics in the Republic of Croatia, with consensus of eight professional societies of the Croatian Medical Association. Uncomplicated cystitis is treated 1, 3, or 7 days, complicated 7 days, pyelonephritis 10-14 days, and complicated UTI 7 to 14 days, rarely longer. For the treatment of cystitis fluorokinolons, nitrofurantoin, betalactam antibiotics, and in the fields of lower resistance trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazol are being used. Single treatment with fluorokinolons is administered to otherwise healthy young women with normal urinary tract in whom cystitis symptoms have been present for less than 7 days. Empiric antimicrobial treatment of pyelonephritis, recurrent and all complicated UTI must be reviewed after urine culture finding is obtained. In the treatment of bacterial prostatitis and febrile UTI in males, the drug of first choice is ciprofloxacin. Asymptomatic bacteriuria (AB) is treated in pregnant women, newborns, preschool children with urinary tract abnormalities, before invasive urologic and gynecologic procedures, in kidney transplant recipients, and in the first days of short term urinary bladder catheterization. Recommendations for the treatment of AB in patients with diabetes mellitus have been controversial in the past two years. Antimicrobial prophylaxis is administered mostly one hour prior to the diagnostic or therapeutic invasive urological procedure, using selected antimicrobial agents.