TY - JOUR
T1 - The Role of CRP POC Testing in the Fight against Antibiotic Overuse in European Primary Care
T2 - Recommendations from a European Expert Panel
AU - Gentile, Ivan
AU - Schiano Moriello, Nicola
AU - Hopstaken, Rogier
AU - Llor, Carl
AU - Melbye, Hasse
AU - Senn, Oliver
N1 - Funding Information:
The work was funded by Abbott Rapid Diagnostics. Abbott had no input into the content of the paper.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/1
Y1 - 2023/1
N2 - Tackling antibiotic resistance represents one of the major challenges in modern medicine, and limiting antibiotics’ overuse represents the first step in this fight. Most antibiotics are prescribed in primary care settings, and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are one of the most common indications for their prescription. An expert panel conducted an extensive report on C-reactive protein point-of-care (CRP POC) testing in the evaluation of LRTIs and its usefulness to limit antibiotic prescriptions. The expert panel stated that CRP POC testing is a potentially useful tool to limit antibiotic prescriptions for LRTI in a community setting. CRP POC must be used in conjunction with other strategies such as improved communication skills and the use of other molecular POC testing. Potential barriers to the adoption of CRP POC testing are financial and logistical issues. Moreover, the efficacy in limiting antibiotic prescriptions could be hampered by the fact that, in some countries, patients may gain access to antibiotics even without a prescription. Through the realization of a better reimbursement structure, the inclusion in standardized procedures in local guidelines, and better patient education, CRP point-of-care testing can represent a cornerstone in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
AB - Tackling antibiotic resistance represents one of the major challenges in modern medicine, and limiting antibiotics’ overuse represents the first step in this fight. Most antibiotics are prescribed in primary care settings, and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are one of the most common indications for their prescription. An expert panel conducted an extensive report on C-reactive protein point-of-care (CRP POC) testing in the evaluation of LRTIs and its usefulness to limit antibiotic prescriptions. The expert panel stated that CRP POC testing is a potentially useful tool to limit antibiotic prescriptions for LRTI in a community setting. CRP POC must be used in conjunction with other strategies such as improved communication skills and the use of other molecular POC testing. Potential barriers to the adoption of CRP POC testing are financial and logistical issues. Moreover, the efficacy in limiting antibiotic prescriptions could be hampered by the fact that, in some countries, patients may gain access to antibiotics even without a prescription. Through the realization of a better reimbursement structure, the inclusion in standardized procedures in local guidelines, and better patient education, CRP point-of-care testing can represent a cornerstone in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
KW - antimicrobial resistance
KW - C-reactive protein
KW - primary care
U2 - 10.3390/diagnostics13020320
DO - 10.3390/diagnostics13020320
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 36673130
AN - SCOPUS:85146767303
VL - 13
JO - Diagnostics
JF - Diagnostics
SN - 2075-4418
IS - 2
M1 - 320
ER -