Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34849033›Full record

ArticleDrug, healthcare and patient safety2021

Overprescribing of Topical Ocular Corticosteroids and Antibiotics in Out-of-Hours Primary Care in Belgium.

Hans De Loof, Ellen De Win, Nathalie Moens, Veronique Verhoeven, Paul Van Royen, Elke O Kreps, Hilde Philips

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Drug, healthcare and patient safety, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
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

7 authors.

Hans De LoofLaboratory of Physiopharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0003-4488-551X
Ellen De WinLaboratory of Physiopharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Nathalie MoensLaboratory of Physiopharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Veronique VerhoevenResearch Group, Primary and Interdisciplinary Care (ELIZA), Department Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP) University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-3708-6501
Paul Van RoyenResearch Group, Primary and Interdisciplinary Care (ELIZA), Department Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP) University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-9554-1680
Elke O KrepsDepartment of Ophthalmology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
Hilde PhilipsResearch Group, Primary and Interdisciplinary Care (ELIZA), Department Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP) University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Prescribing patterns by primary care physicians concerning ophthalmic problems were studied using the iCAREdata, a database containing information from the out-of-hours care setting in the Flanders region of Belgium. A very high percentage of prescribed ophthalmic medication was topical antibiotics (89.4%) with tobramycin as the most prevalent substance and in clear conflict with the prevailing guidelines. In addition, a very substantial fraction of prescribed medication contained corticosteroids (30.4%). This is a potentially unsafe option within the technical infrastructure of this setting, which limits the diagnostic possibilities concerning viral infections or preexisting glaucoma risk. We conclude that more efforts are required to limit unnecessary and inappropriate prescribing behavior to further promote patient safety.

Indexed as

antibioticsconjunctivitisdrug utilization researchreferral process

Identifiers

PMID34849033
PMCPMC8627259

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.