Trial of Post-Dated Delayed Antibiotic Prescriptions

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections
• Interventions: Other: A delayed prescription dated 2 days after clinical office visit; Drug: Usual Dated

• Registration Number: NCT02732847
• Lead Sponsor: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Brief Summary

Delayed prescriptions have been shown to lower antibiotic use for upper respiratory tract infections (which are mostly viral).

This trial will test the hypothesis that if the clinician post-dates the delayed prescription by 2 days, rather than dating it on the day the patient is seen, there will be a further drop in the rate of antibiotic use.

Detailed Description

6 family doctors and 2 nurse practitioners in a small rural town will issue delayed antibiotic prescriptions to adult patients with new acute respiratory tract infections. The delayed prescriptions will be randomly dated for either the day of the office visit, or 2 days later. The 2 local pharmacies will note whether the prescription is cashed, and when.

It is hypothesised that post-dating the prescription will result in a reduced cashing rate.

Each arm of the study (Usual v Post-Dated) will contain 75 subjects. This sample will have the power to detect a 25% change in prescription use.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2006-06
• Study Start: 2007-10
• Primary Completion: 2009-03
• Study Completion: 2009-03
• Study First Submitted: 2010-05-27
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-04-08
• Study First Posted: 2016-04-11
• Results First Submitted: 2021-02-22
• Results First Submitted QC: 2021-05-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-05-03
• Results First Posted: 2021-05-05
• Last Update Posted: 2021-05-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 149

Inclusion Criteria

• Adults aged 18 years or older
• Adults with an untreated upper respiratory tract infection
• Adults presenting for the first time to a family physician or a nurse practitioner

Exclusion Criteria

• Less that 18 years
• Having a clear indication for antibiotic therapy

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Post-Dated Prescription	A delayed prescription dated 2 days after clinical office visit	a delayed prescription dated 2 days after clinical office visit
Usual	Usual Dated	usual date

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Number of Participants That Filled a Prescription in 20 Days	20 days	Prescriptions

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Memorial University; 🇨🇦 St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada