• José M Molero, Gloria Cordoba, López-ValcárcelBeatriz GonzálezBGDepartment of Quantitative Methods for Economics and Management, University of Las Palmas, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain., Ana Moragas, Juan E Losa, and Carles Llor.
• San Andrés Health Centre, Department Preventive Medical Specialties and Public Health, University Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
• Aten Primaria. 2020 Nov 1; 52 (9): 637-644.

ObjectiveThis study was aimed at evaluating the appropriateness of use and interpretation of rapid antigen detection testing (RADT) and antibiotic prescribing for acute pharyngitis six years after a multifaceted intervention.DesignBefore-and-after audit-based study.LocationPrimary care centres in eight autonomous Communities.ParticipantsGeneral practitioners (GP) who had participated in the HAPPY AUDIT intervention study in 2008 and 2009 were invited to participate in a third audit-based study six years later (2015).MethodRADTs were provided to the participating practices and the GPs were requested to consecutively register all adults with acute pharyngitis. A registration form specifically designed for this study was used.ResultsA total of 121 GPs out of the 210 who participated in the first two audits agreed to participate in the third audit (57.6%). They registered 3394 episodes of pharyngitis in the three registrations. RADTs were used in 51.7% of all the cases immediately after the intervention, and in 49.4% six years later. Antibiotics were prescribed in 21.3% and 36.1%, respectively (P<.001), mainly when tonsillar exudates were present, and in 5.3% and 19.2% of those with negative RADT results (P<.001). On adjustment for covariables, compared to the antibiotic prescription observed just after the intervention, significantly more antibiotics were prescribed six years later (odds ratio: 2.24, 95% confidence interval: 1.73-2.89).ConclusionsThis study shows that that the long-term impact of a multifaceted intervention, focusing on the use and interpretation of RADT in patients with acute pharyngitis, is reducing.Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

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