Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36195897›Full record

ArticleImplementation science : IS2022

Promoting rational antibiotic therapy among high antibiotic prescribers in German primary care-study protocol of the ElektRA 4-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Christin Löffler, Theresa Buuck, Julia Iwen, Maike Schulz, Antonia Zapf, Peter Kropp, Anja Wollny, Linda Krause, Britta Müller, Ann-Katrin Ozga and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in Implementation science : IS, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.2field-weighted citation impact, top 41% 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.

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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. 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

12 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Christin LöfflerInstitute of General Practice, Rostock University Medical Center, Postbox 100888, 18055, Rostock, Germany. christin.loeffler@med.uni-rostock.de.ORCID 0000-0001-5763-7588
Theresa BuuckInstitute of General Practice, Rostock University Medical Center, Postbox 100888, 18055, Rostock, Germany.
Julia IwenAssociation of Substitute Health Funds (Vdek) e.V, Berlin, Germany.
Maike SchulzCentral Research Institute of Ambulatory Health Care in Germany (Zi), Berlin, Germany.
Antonia ZapfInstitute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Peter KroppInstitute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany.
Anja WollnyInstitute of General Practice, Rostock University Medical Center, Postbox 100888, 18055, Rostock, Germany.
Linda KrauseInstitute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Britta MüllerInstitute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany.
Ann-Katrin OzgaInstitute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Elisabeth GoldschmidtSociety for Patient-Centred Communication (GPZK e.V.), Rostock, Germany.
Attila AltinerInstitute of General Practice, Rostock University Medical Center, Postbox 100888, 18055, Rostock, Germany.
University of Rostock · DEUniversität Hamburg · DECentral Institute of Mental Health · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe rational use of antibiotics is of great importance in health care. In primary care, acute respiratory infections are the most common cause of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. Since existing studies aiming to optimize antibiotic use are usually based on the voluntary participation of physicians, general practitioners (GPs) with inappropriate prescribing behavior are underrepresented. For the first time in Germany, the ElektRA study will assess and compare the effects of three interventions on antibiotic prescribing rates for respiratory and urinary tract infections among high prescribers in primary care.

methodElektRA is a 4-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial among German GPs in nine regional Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. On their behalf, the Central Research Institute of Ambulatory Health Care in Germany (Zi) analyses all outpatient claims and prescription data. Based on this database, high antibiotic prescribing GPs are identified and randomized into four groups: a control group (N=2000) and three intervention arms. We test social norm feedback on antibiotic prescribing (N=2000), social norm feedback plus online training on rational prescribing practice and communication strategies (N=2000), and social norm feedback plus online peer-moderated training on rational antibiotic prescribing, communication strategies, and sustainable behavior change (N=1250). The primary outcome is the overall rate of antibiotic prescriptions. Outcomes are measured before intervention (T0, October 2020-September 2022) and over a period of 15 months (T1, October 2022 to December 2023) after randomization. DISCUSSION: The aim of the study is to implement individualized, low-threshold interventions to reduce antibiotic prescribing among high prescribers in primary care. If successful, a change in behavior among otherwise difficult-to-reach high prescribers will directly improve patient care. The increase in quality of care will ideally be achieved both in terms of the quantity of antibiotics used as well as the kind of substances prescribed. Also, if effective strategies for high prescribers are identified through this study, they can be applied not only to the antibiotics addressed in this study, but also to other areas of prescription management.

trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN95468513.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsRespiratory Tract InfectionsHumansInappropriate PrescribingPractice Patterns, Physicians'Primary Health CareRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAnti-Bacterial AgentsAntibacterial agentsAntibiotic resistanceContinuing medical educationPhysician-patient relationPrimary careRespiratory tract infectionShared decision-makingUrinary tract infections

Identifiers

PMID36195897
PMCPMC9530431
OpenAlexW4301397250

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.