Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34620666›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2021

Multifaceted antibiotic stewardship intervention using a participatory-action-research approach to improve antibiotic prescribing for urinary tract infections in frail elderly (ImpresU): study protocol for a European qualitative study followed by a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial.

Esther A R Hartman, Wim G Groen, Silje Rebekka Heltveit-Olsen, Morten Lindbaek, Sigurd Hoye, Pär-Daniel Sundvall, Ronny Gunnarsson, Ingmarie Skoglund, Egill Snaebjörnsson Arnljots, Maciej Godycki-Cwirko and 7 more

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03970356 (The Improving Rational Prescribing for Urinary Tract Infections in Frail Elderly), which is not on this map. Cited by 9 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
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.

NCT03970356 nacompletednot on this map

The Improving Rational Prescribing for Urinary Tract Infections in Frail Elderly (ImpresU) Project - Work Package 2 (WP2): a Cluster Randomised Multifaceted Antibiotic Stewardship Intervention Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorCees HertoghRan2019 to 2021Enrolled1,146ConditionsUrinary Tract InfectionsArmsantibiotic stewardship intervention
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Tailored interventions to address determinants of practice.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Selection and reporting of usual care comparators when designing primary care trials of complex health interventions: a systematic review.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025
    Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Trial
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors at 5 institutions in 4 countries.

Esther A R HartmanDepartment of Medicine for Older People, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands e.hartman1@amsterdamumc.nl.ORCID 0000-0003-0907-2476
Wim G GroenDepartment of Medicine for Older People, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Silje Rebekka Heltveit-OlsenThe Antibiotic Centre for Primary Care, Department of General Practice, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Morten LindbaekThe Antibiotic Centre for Primary Care, Department of General Practice, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Sigurd HoyeThe Antibiotic Centre for Primary Care, Department of General Practice, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Pär-Daniel SundvallGeneral Practice/Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Ronny GunnarssonGeneral Practice/Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Ingmarie SkoglundGeneral Practice/Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Egill Snaebjörnsson ArnljotsGeneral Practice/Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Maciej Godycki-CwirkoCentre for Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
Anna KowalczykCentre for Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
Tamara N PlatteelJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Nicolaas P A ZuithoffJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Annelie A MonnierDepartment of Medicine for Older People, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-5844-286X
Theo J M VerheijJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Cees M P M HertoghDepartment of Medicine for Older People, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Alma C van de PolJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Utrecht University · NLRegion Västra Götaland · SEAmsterdam University Medical Centers · NLUniversity of Oslo · NOMedical University of Lodz · PL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionAlmost 60% of antibiotics in frail elderly are prescribed for alleged urinary tract infections (UTIs). A substantial part of this comprises prescriptions in case of non-specific symptoms or asymptomatic bacteriuria, for which the latest guidelines promote restrictiveness with antibiotics. We aim to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use for UTIs through an antibiotic stewardship intervention (ASI) that encourages to prescribe according to these guidelines. To develop an effective ASI, we first need a better understanding of the complex decision-making process concerning suspected UTIs in frail elderly. Moreover, the implementation approach requires tailoring to the heterogeneous elderly care setting. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: First, we conduct a qualitative study to explore factors contributing to antibiotic prescribing for UTIs in frail elderly, using semi-structured interviews with general practitioners, nursing staff, patients and informal caregivers. Next, we perform a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial in elderly care organisations. A multifaceted ASI is implemented in the intervention group; the control group receives care as usual. The ASI is centred around a decision tool that promotes restrictive antibiotic use, supported by a toolbox with educational materials. For the implementation, we use a modified participatory-action-research approach, guided by the results of the qualitative study. The primary outcome is the number of antibiotic prescriptions for suspected UTIs. We aim to recruit 34 clusters with in total 680 frail elderly residents ≥70 years. Data collection takes place during a 5-month baseline period and a 7-month follow-up period. Finally, we perform a process evaluation. The study has been delayed for 6 months due to COVID-19 and is expected to end in July 2021. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approvals and/or waivers were obtained from the ethical committees in Poland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The results will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03970356.

Indexed as

Antimicrobial StewardshipCOVID-19Respiratory Tract InfectionsUrinary Tract InfectionsAgedAnti-Bacterial AgentsFrail ElderlyHumansInappropriate PrescribingPragmatic Clinical Trials as TopicRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSARS-CoV-2Anti-Bacterial Agentsmedical education & trainingprimary careurinary tract infections

Identifiers

PMID34620666
PMCPMC8499316
OpenAlexW3204754882

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.