Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31291514›Full record

Trial reportThe New England journal of medicine2019

C-Reactive Protein Testing to Guide Antibiotic Prescribing for COPD Exacerbations.

Christopher C Butler, David Gillespie, Patrick White, Janine Bates, Rachel Lowe, Emma Thomas-Jones, Mandy Wootton, Kerenza Hood, Rhiannon Phillips, Hasse Melbye and 7 more

2 registry-linked trialsAbstract readMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in The New England journal of medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 131 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
131citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

NCT05286918 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Antibiotic Stewardship Through CRP-guided Antibiotic Treatment for Patients With Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (AECOPD)

TypeinterventionalSponsorThe University of Hong KongRan2022 to 2026Enrolled1,184ConditionsAcute Exacerbation of COPD, Lung Diseases, Lung Diseases, Obstructive, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic ObstructiveArmsThe intervention (CRP-guided) group
NCT07739524 recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Predicting Iron Deficiency and Related Iron Parameters Outside Inflammation in Hospitalized Elderly Patients: A Prospective Study

TypeobservationalSponsorCentre Hospitalier Régional d'OrléansRan2026 to 2027Enrolled200ConditionsElderly, Acute Inflammatory Response, Iron DeficiencyArmsAnalysis of biological parameters
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

131 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  8. Correlates of FEV₁ deficit in pulmonary exacerbations of cystic fibrosis and associated clinical outcomes.Journal of cystic fibrosis : official journal of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society · 2026
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  14. Associations with antibiotic prescribing for acute exacerbation of COPD in primary care: secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2021
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  17. C-reactive protein-guided antibiotic prescribing for COPD exacerbations: a qualitative evaluation.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2020
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  19. Two-dayTherapeutic advances in respiratory disease
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71 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Christopher C ButlerFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).ORCID 0000-0002-0102-3453
David GillespieFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Patrick WhiteFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Janine BatesFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Rachel LoweFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Emma Thomas-JonesFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Mandy WoottonFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Kerenza HoodFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Rhiannon PhillipsFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Hasse MelbyeFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Carl LlorFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Jochen W L CalsFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Gurudutt NaikFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Nigel KirbyFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Micaela GalFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Evgenia RigaFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).
Nick A FrancisFrom the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford (C.C.B., E.R.), the Centre for Trials Research (D.G., J.B., R.L., E.T.-J., K.H., N.K.), the Division of Population Medicine (R.P., G.N., N.A.F.), and Wales Centre for Primary and Emergency Research, School of Medicine (M.G.), Cardiff University, the Specialist Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Unit, Public Health Wales, University Hospital of Wales (M.W.), Cardiff, and the School of Population Health and Environment Science, King's College, London (P.W.) - all in the United Kingdom; the General Practice Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway (H.M.); the University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Via Roma Health Center, Barcelona (C.L.); and the Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands (J.W.L.C.).

Funding

Department of Health 12/33/12Health Technology Assessment Programme 12/33/12
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPoint-of-care testing of C-reactive protein (CRP) may be a way to reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics without harming patients who have acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

methodsWe performed a multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled trial involving patients with a diagnosis of COPD in their primary care clinical record who consulted a clinician at 1 of 86 general medical practices in England and Wales for an acute exacerbation of COPD. The patients were assigned to receive usual care guided by CRP point-of-care testing (CRP-guided group) or usual care alone (usual-care group). The primary outcomes were patient-reported use of antibiotics for acute exacerbations of COPD within 4 weeks after randomization (to show superiority) and COPD-related health status at 2 weeks after randomization, as measured by the Clinical COPD Questionnaire, a 10-item scale with scores ranging from 0 (very good COPD health status) to 6 (extremely poor COPD health status) (to show noninferiority).

resultsA total of 653 patients underwent randomization. Fewer patients in the CRP-guided group reported antibiotic use than in the usual-care group (57.0% vs. 77.4%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.20 to 0.47). The adjusted mean difference in the total score on the Clinical COPD Questionnaire at 2 weeks was -0.19 points (two-sided 90% CI, -0.33 to -0.05) in favor of the CRP-guided group. The antibiotic prescribing decisions made by clinicians at the initial consultation were ascertained for all but 1 patient, and antibiotic prescriptions issued over the first 4 weeks of follow-up were ascertained for 96.9% of the patients. A lower percentage of patients in the CRP-guided group than in the usual-care group received an antibiotic prescription at the initial consultation (47.7% vs. 69.7%, for a difference of 22.0 percentage points; adjusted odds ratio, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.45) and during the first 4 weeks of follow-up (59.1% vs. 79.7%, for a difference of 20.6 percentage points; adjusted odds ratio, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.46). Two patients in the usual-care group died within 4 weeks after randomization from causes considered by the investigators to be unrelated to trial participation.

conclusionsCRP-guided prescribing of antibiotics for exacerbations of COPD in primary care clinics resulted in a lower percentage of patients who reported antibiotic use and who received antibiotic prescriptions from clinicians, with no evidence of harm. (Funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment Program; PACE Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN24346473.).

Indexed as

Point-of-Care TestingAgedAnti-Bacterial AgentsBiomarkersC-Reactive ProteinFemaleHealth StatusHumansInappropriate PrescribingMaleMiddle AgedPractice Patterns, Physicians'Pulmonary Disease, Chronic ObstructiveAnti-Bacterial AgentsBiomarkersC-Reactive Protein

Identifiers

PMID31291514

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.