title: The Effect of Rapid Antigen Detection Test on Antibiotic Prescription Decision of Clinicians and Reducing Antibiotic Costs in Children with Acute Pharyngitis.
abstract: We aimed to investigate the effect of rapid antigen detection test (RADT) in the diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis, its impact on antibiotic prescription decision of pediatricians and influence on reduction of antibiotic treatment costs in children with pharyngitis. The study group consisted of 223 patients who were diagnosed with pharyngitis by pediatricians. The sensitivity and specificity of RADT were 92.1% (95% Cl: 78.6-98.3%) and 97.3% (95% Cl: 93.8-99.1%), respectively. In the first assessment, before performing RADT, pediatricians decided to prescribe antibiotics for 178 (79.8%) patients with pharyngitis. After learning RADT results, pediatricians finally decided to prescribe antibiotics for 83 (37.2%) patients with pharyngitis, and antibiotic prescription decreased by 42.6%. Antibiotic costs in non-Group A streptococcus pharyngitis, Group A streptococcus pharyngitis and all subjects groups decreased by 80.8%, 48%, and 76.4%, respectively. Performing RADT in children with pharyngitis has an important impact on treatment decision of clinicians, reduction of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions and antibiotic costs.
authors.affiliation: Metabolism Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine, 35340 Izmir, Turkey enginkose85@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kose
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine, 35340 Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sirin Kose
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, 35120 Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Akca
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, 35120 Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kerem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, 35120 Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cengizhan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Elmas
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, 35120 Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baris
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Emergency Service, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, 35120 Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anil
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003657:Decision Making; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007159:Immunologic Tests; D008297:Male; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Centor score; Group A streptococcus; antibiotic costs.; pharyngitis; rapid antigen detection test; throat culture