ReviewIrish journal of medical science2018
Antibiotic use for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) in primary care; what factors affect prescribing and why is it important? A narrative review.
Review in Irish journal of medical science, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 80 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
80 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 138 citations in OpenAlex.
- Diagnostic accuracy of point-of-care tests for acute respiratory infection: a systematic review of reviews.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2026Pooled it
- A systematic review and meta-analysis on diagnostic accuracy of point-of-care C-reactive protein devices for acute respiratory tract infections.Infection · 2026Pooled it
- Prevalence, aetiologies and prognosis of the symptom cough in primary care: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC family practice · 2021Pooled it
- Effect of a comprehensive package based on combined C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A point-of-care testing on antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections at village clinics in China: a cluster randomised controlled trial.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2026Article
- Point-of-care testing in community pharmacies to improve antimicrobial stewardship in respiratory infections: a scoping review of effectiveness, implementation and cost-effectiveness.JAC-antimicrobial resistance · 2026Review
- Role of diagnostic testing in reducing unnecessary antibiotic use for upper respiratory tract infections in Chinese primary healthcare: a mixed-methods study.BMC primary care · 2026Article
- Review
- The Effectiveness of Small Group Education on Improving Antibiotic Prescribing in General Practice: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Article
- PulmonaromFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
- General practitioners' antibiotic prescribing decisions in the Northern Dutch-German cross-border region: a discrete choice experiment.BMC primary care · 2025Article
- Development and assessment of an online communication skills course to optimise antibiotic prescribing for children in primary care.BMC primary care · 2025Article
- [Grades of Antibiotic Prescription Rates for Acute Upper and Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in the Republic of Korea in 2023 and Trends in Grade Changes from 2020 to 2023].Jugan geon-gang gwa jilbyeong · 2025Article
- Gender Differences in Antibiotic Prescriptions and Healthcare Visits Among Caregivers Accompanying Children with Respiratory Tract Infections: A Cross-Sectional Study.Infectious diseases and therapy · 2025Article
- Article
- Correct diagnostic classification and treatment of pneumonia symptoms in under-five children, northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.BMJ paediatrics open · 2025Article
- Acquired Bacterial Resistance to Antibiotics and Resistance Genes: From Past to Future.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- The Impact of Rapid Molecular Diagnostics for Influenza on Antibiotic Stewardship in the Emergency Department-An Observational Retrospective Study.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Article
- Antibiotic prescriptions associated with a diagnosis of acute nasopharyngitis by general GPs in France: a retrospective study.BJGP open · 2024Article
20 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAntimicrobial resistance is an emerging global threat to health and is associated with increased consumption of antibiotics. Seventy-four per cent of antibiotic prescribing takes place in primary care. Much of this is for inappropriate treatment of acute respiratory tract infections.
aimsTo review the published literature pertaining to antibiotic prescribing in order to identify and understand the factors that affect primary care providers' prescribing decisions.
methodsSix online databases were searched for relevant paper using agreed criteria. One hundred ninety-five papers were retrieved, and 139 were included in this review.
resultsPrimary care providers are highly influenced to prescribe by patient expectation for antibiotics, clinical uncertainty and workload induced time pressures. Strategies proven to reduce such inappropriate prescribing include appropriately aimed multifaceted educational interventions for primary care providers, mass media educational campaigns aimed at healthcare professionals and the public, use of good communication skills in the consultation, use of delayed prescriptions especially when accompanied by written information, point of care testing and, probably, longer less pressurised consultations. Delayed prescriptions also facilitate focused personalised patient education.
conclusionThere is an emerging consensus in the literature regarding strategies proven to reduce antibiotic consumption for acute respiratory tract infections. The widespread adoption of these strategies in primary care is imperative.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.