No registrations found.
ID
Source
Brief title
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
1. Change (decrease) in antibiotic prescription;
2. Clinical recovery and return to normal work and activities.
Secondary outcome
1. Cost-effectiveness of PoC CRP and communication training;
2. Use of medical services, including re-consultation;
3. Change (decrease) in diagnostic testing other than PoC CRP.
Background summary
Male and Female > 18 years old.
To what extent will the introduction of the C-Reactive Protein (CRP) point of care test and enhanced communication skills for managing lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in general practice, either separately or combined, lead to an enhancement of patient recovery, a reduction in other diagnostic testing, use of other medical services and a reduction in antibiotic prescribing? To what extent are these reductions cost-effective?
Study design: factorial design with randomisation on practice level. Control group follows pathways of usual care.
Study objective
To what extent will the introduction of the C-Reactive Protein (CRP) point of care test and enhanced communication skills for managing lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in general practice, either separately or combined, lead to
1. an enhancement of patient recovery,
2. a reduction in other diagnostic testing
3. and a reduction in antibiotic prescribing?
4. To what extent are these reductions cost-effective?
Intervention
Randomisation at the level of practice. Factorial randomisation into four groups:
1. Access to and training in PoC CRP plus communication training.
2. Access to and training in PoC CRP alone.
3. Communication training alone.
4. Usual care.
Point of Care CRP: Access to and training in use of automatic CRP test device.
Sample is one drop of whole blood from a finger prick.
Communication training: Shared decision making using SPICE method (Simulated Patient in Clinical Encounter).
P.O. Box 616
Jochen Cals
Maastricht 6200 MD
The Netherlands
+31 (0)43 3882441
j.cals@hag.unimaas.nl
P.O. Box 616
Jochen Cals
Maastricht 6200 MD
The Netherlands
+31 (0)43 3882441
j.cals@hag.unimaas.nl
Inclusion criteria
First consultation of current episode of acute cough (duration <4 weeks).
Regarded by the GP to be caused by an acute lower respiratory tract infection
- At least one out of following 4: Shortness of breath / wheezing / chest pain / auscultation abnormalities
- At least one of the following 5:
Fever / perspiring / headache / myalgia / feeling generally unwell.
Exclusion criteria
1. Patients who require immediate admission to hospital;
2.Patients who have no understanding of written and/or Dutch language;
3. Patients who previously participated in the study;
4. Patients who currently use antibiotic or have taken an antibiotic in the past 2 weeks;
5. Patients who have been hospitalized in the past 6 weeks.
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| NTR-new | NL31 |
| NTR-old | NTR51 |
| Other | : N/A |
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN85154857 |