posted on 2019-08-16, 16:52authored byB Stuart, H Hounkpatin, T Becque, G Yao, S Zhu, P Alonso-Coello, A Altiner, B Arroll, D Böhning, J Bostock, HCC Bucher, M de la Poza, NA Francis, D Gillespie, AD Hay, T Kenealy, C Löffler, G Mas-Dalmau, L Muñoz, K Samuel, M Moore, P Little
INTRODUCTION: Delayed prescribing can be a useful strategy to reduce antibiotic prescribing, but it is not clear for whom delayed prescribing might be effective. This protocol outlines an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational cohort studies to explore the overall effect of delayed prescribing and identify key patient characteristics that are associated with efficacy of delayed prescribing. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic search of the databases Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, EBSCO CINAHL Plus and Web of Science was conducted to identify relevant studies from inception to October 2017. Outcomes of interest include duration of illness, severity of illness, complication, reconsultation and patient satisfaction. Study authors of eligible papers will be contacted and invited to contribute raw IPD data. IPD data will be checked against published data, harmonised and aggregated to create one large IPD database. Multilevel regression will be performed to explore interaction effects between treatment allocation and patient characteristics. The economic evaluation will be conducted based on IPD from the combined trial and observational studies to estimate the differences in costs and effectiveness for delayed prescribing compared with normal practice. A decision model will be developed to assess potential savings and cost-effectiveness in terms of reduced antibiotic usage of delayed prescribing and quality-adjusted life years. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine Research Ethics Committee (Reference number: 30068). Findings of this study will be published in peer-reviewed academic journals as well as General Practice trade journals and will be presented at national and international conferences. The results will have important public health implications, shaping the way in which antibiotics are prescribed in the future and to whom delayed prescriptions are issued. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42018079400.
Funding
This paper presents independent research funded by theNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Research for PatientBenefit (RfPB) Programme (Grant Reference Number PB-PG-0416-20005). The viewsexpressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, theNIHR or the Department of Health & Social Care.
History
Citation
BMJ Open 2019;9:e026925
Author affiliation
/Organisation/COLLEGE OF LIFE SCIENCES/School of Medicine/Department of Health Sciences
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