Annals of family medicine
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Annals of family medicine · Jan 2023
Multicenter StudyAdaptation and External Validation of Pathogenic Urine Culture Prediction in Primary Care Using Machine Learning.
Urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms are common in primary care, but antibiotics are appropriate only when an infection is present. Urine culture is the reference standard test for infection, but results take >1 day. A machine learning predictor of urine cultures showed high accuracy for an emergency department (ED) population but required urine microscopy features that are not routinely available in primary care (the NeedMicro classifier). ⋯ The NoMicro classifier appears appropriate for PC. Prospective trials to adjudicate the balance of benefits and harms of using the NoMicro classifier are appropriate.
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Annals of family medicine · Jan 2023
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyInhaled Budesonide for COVID-19 in People at Higher Risk of Complications in the Community: The UK National Community Randomi.
Background The effectiveness of repurposed treatments with supportive evidence for higher risk individuals with COVID-19 in the community is unknown. In the UK PRINCIPLE national platform trial we aimed to determine whether 're-purposed medicines' (hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, doxycycline, colchicine, inhaled budesonide, and other interventions) reduced time to recovery and COVID-19 related hospitalisations/deaths among people at higher risk of COVID-19 complications in the community. We mainly report the findings for budesonide arm here. ⋯ An estimated 6·8% COVID-19 related hospitalisations/deaths occurred in the budesonide group versus 8·8% in usual care (estimated absolute difference, 2·0% [95% credible interval -0.2% to 4.5%], probability of superiority 0.963). In the main secondary analysis of admissions using only concurrent controls, admissions occurred in 6.6% (3.8 to 10.1%) in the budesonide group versus 8.8% (95% CI 5.2 to 13.1%), with an absolute difference of 2.2% (0.0 to 4.9%) and a hazard ratio of 0.73 (0.53 to 1.00), meeting the pre-specified superiority probability of 0.975. Three serious adverse events occurred in the budesonide group and three in usual care.
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Annals of family medicine · Jan 2023
Multicenter StudyMachine Learning Prediction of Urine Cultures in Primary Care.
Context: Antibiotics for suspected urinary tract infection (UTI) is appropriate only when an infection is present. Urine culture is definitive but takes >1 day to result. A machine learning urine culture predictor was recently devised for Emergency Department (ED) patients but requires use of urine microscopy ("NeedMicro" predictor), which is not routinely available in primary care (PC). ⋯ Simulation of a hypothetical, retrospective clinical trial suggests the NoMicro model could be used to avoid antibiotic overuse by safely withhold antibiotics in low-risk patients. Conclusions: The hypothesis that the NoMicro predictor generalizes to both PC and ED contexts is supported. Prospective trials to determine the real-world impact of using the NoMicro model to reduce antibiotic overuse are appropriate.
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Annals of family medicine · May 2022
Multicenter Study Observational StudyLung Ultrasound Performed by Primary Care Physicians for Clinically Suspected Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Multicenter Prospective Study.
We investigated whether lung ultrasound (US) performed in primary care is useful and feasible for diagnosing community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) compared with chest radiography, as most previous research has been conducted in hospital settings. ⋯ Point-of-care lung US in primary care could be useful for investigating suspected CAP (avoiding chest radiography in most cases) and is likely feasible in daily practice, as short training programs appear sufficient and little time is needed to perform the scan.
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Annals of family medicine · Jul 2021
Multicenter Study Observational StudyChanges in Direct Medical Cost and Medications for Managing Diabetes in Beijing, China, 2016 to 2018: Electronic Insurance Data Analysis.
Although the cost and complexity of managing diabetes is increasing around the world, placing greater burden on patients and their families, the cost of drug regimens prescribed to Chinese patients has not been evaluated. This study was conducted to evaluate the temporal changes in the costs and drugs used for people with diabetes. ⋯ This is the first large-scale cost analysis of the medical management of diabetes since the implementation of medical insurance in China. Despite the increasing availability of newer, more expensive diabetes drugs, there was a significant reduction in the number of diabetes medications used, that may be due to a more rational approach to optimizing metabolic targets.