title: [Antibiotic prescribing in acute respiratory tract infections in general practice].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antimicrobial resistance is a worldwide threat to public health. Acute respiratory tract infections are the main reason for antibiotic prescribing in the Spanish paediatric population. The aim of the study was to describe the frequency of antibiotic prescription and their pattern of use in acute respiratory tract infections diagnosed in children in Primary Care in Aragón (Spain).
  
  
  METHODS
  A study was conducted over a 1-year period on children between 0 and 14 years-old, recording all episodes of acute otitis, acute pharyngotonsillitis, non-specific upper respiratory infection, and acute bronchitis. The proportion of episodes within each diagnosis receiving an antibiotic prescription was calculated, and the prescribing pattern was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Half (50%) of the children in Aragón were diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection during the study period. Non-specific upper respiratory infection was the most frequent diagnosis. An antibiotic was prescribed in 75% of pharyngotonsillitis episodes, 72% of otitis, 27% of bronchitis, and 16% of non-specific upper respiratory infections. Broad spectrum antibiotics, mainly amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic, were predominantly prescribed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antibiotic prescribing in respiratory tract infections in children was generally high, and the choice of antibiotics was probably inappropriate in a high percentage of cases. Therefore an improvement in antibiotic prescribing in children appears to be needed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, España. Electronic address: smalo@unizar.es.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malo
authors.affiliation: Section and Research Unit of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bjerrum
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, España.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feja
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacia de Atención Primaria, Servicio Aragonés de Salud, Zaragoza, España.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lallana
authors.affiliation: Centro de Gestión Integrada de Proyectos Corporativos, Servicio Aragonés de Salud, Zaragoza, España.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poncel
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, España.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rabanaque
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Adecuación; Antimicrobial; Antimicrobianos; Appropriateness; Atención primaria; Enfermedades respiratorias; General practice; Paediatrics; Pediatría; Respiratory diseases