1. TIDieR (Template for Intervention Description and Replication) table.
|
Author Year |
Disease | Participants | Trial outcomes | Materials and procedures for clinicians delivering intervention | Clinicians delivering intervention | How intervention was delivered to participants | Where intervention was delivered | When and how much | Tailoring | Modified during trial? | Checks of fidelity? | Fidelity |
| Arroll 2002a | Common cold | Any age | Antibiotic use, satisfaction and symptoms of delayed prescribing | Antibiotic prescription (deemed appropriate by treating GP). Procedure not detailed |
15 GPs |
Delayed: to fill prescription after 3 days if symptoms not improved Immediate: usual care |
1 general practice, New Zealand | Once, at index consultation; delayed group asked to wait 3 days | Participants advised to return to GP if symptoms worsened | None reported | Not detailed | — |
| Chao 2008 | Acute otitis media | Children (2 to 12 years) | Antibiotic use | 2 forms of discharge instruction sheet provided by clinicians to patients: 1) completion of all: when to return for medical care (after 2 to 3 days); how to use complementary symptom drugs 2) comparison: as above + prescription to fill if still unwell at 2 to 3 days |
14 emergency department physicians | Not detailed | Emergency department of an urban public hospital in the USA | Once, at index consultation | Provided with complimentary optional ibuprofen or paracetamol ± benzocaine otic drops at index consultation | None reported | None | None |
| De la Poza Abad 2016 | Acute uncomplicated respiratory infection | Adults | Symptom duration and severity, antibiotic use, patient satisfaction, patients’ beliefs in antibiotic effectiveness, reconsultation rates, adverse effects | Physician structured script and patient information sheet about self‐limiting natural history of respiratory infection, pros and cons of antibiotics used with patients. Antibiotic prescription as indicated |
GPs | 4 groups of antibiotic prescription use: 1) Immediate 2) Delayed, patient‐led prescription 3) Delayed, prescription collection 4) None Delayed = 3 days |
23 primary care centres in 4 regions in Spain | Once, at index consultation; delayed prescription collection group could collect after 3 days if needed | All advised to return if no improvement or worsening after 5 days (sore throat (pharyngitis)) or 10 days (other infections). Central phone follow‐up if symptoms persisted |
None reported | None | None |
| Dowell 2001 | Acute uncomplicated cough | Adults (> 16 years) | Symptom duration, prescription uptake, patient satisfaction, patient enablement subsequent consultation rates | Antibiotic prescription of GP's choice provided or lodged at reception | 48 GPs |
Immediate: usual care Delayed: collect prescription after 1 week if required (within 2 weeks) |
22 general practices in Scotland, UK |
Once, at index consultation; delayed prescription group asked to wait 1 week | Nil | None reported | Date scripts collected by delayed group | 35% (12/34) waited 7 days as asked; mean wait 6 days (range 1 to 10) |
| El‐Daher 1991 | GABHS | Children (4 to 14 years) | Signs and symptoms, antibody titre, subsequent episodes |
Immediate group: supplied with 2 days of penicillin, then 8 days of penicillin on Day 3 Delayed group: supplied with 2 days of placebo, then 10 days of penicillin on Day 3 |
Physician | Immediate: 2 days penicillin, then 8 days penicillin Delayed: 2 days placebo, then 10 days penicillin | Paediatric clinics at Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan | At index consultation, then re‐examined on Day 3 | Paracetamol as needed | None reported | None reported | None reported |
| Gerber 1990 | GABHS pharyngitis (sore throat) | Children/adolescents (2 to 22 years) | Positive follow‐up throat cultures, recurrences, symptomatic recurrences, or new acquisitions |
Immediate group: supplied with 10‐day course of dose appropriate penicillin V Delayed group: instructed to wait 48 hours before commencing 10‐day course of penicillin Telephone follow‐up 24 hours later in both groups and next 24 hours for delayed group to advise commencement |
Not reported (implied treating physicians) |
Immediate: usual care Delayed: wait 48 hours before commencing penicillin |
1 private paediatric practice in the USA | At index consultation and telephone follow‐up 24 and 48 hours afterwards | Further 10‐day courses of penicillin if further GABHS pharyngitis (sore throat) | None reported | Urine sample at Day 9, mailed after drying for analysis | No report of urine sample compliance results |
| Little 1997 | Sore throat | ≥ 4 years | Duration of symptoms, satisfaction and compliance with and perceived efficacy of antibiotics, time off school or work |
Immediate group given 10‐day prescription of dose appropriate penicillin V Delayed group offered antibiotics but could collect prescription if symptoms not settled within 3 days GP standard advice sheets provided to participants |
25 GPs | 3 groups of antibiotic prescriptions: 1) Immediate: usual care 2) No antibiotics 3) Delayed: to collect within 3 days |
11 general practices, England, UK | At index consultation; delayed prescription group within 3 days | Erythromycin if sensitive to penicillin Analgesics or antipyretics allowed |
None reported | GP documented prescription on sheet Patient daily diary until symptom‐free and medication finished |
GPs’ compliance: immediate: 99%; no ABs: 2%; delayed: 5% left with script AB use: immediate: 99%; no: 13%; delayed: 31% |
| Little 2001 | Acute otitis media | Children (0.5 to 10 years) | Symptom resolution, absence from school or nursery, paracetamol consumption |
Immediate group prescribed amoxicillin Delayed group asked to delay 3 days before using prescription, and then only if necessary GP used standardised advice sheets specific to each group |
42 GPs |
Immediate: usual care Delayed: wait 3 days to collect prescription |
General practices in Scotland, UK | At index consultation; delayed prescription group asked to wait 3 days | Antipyretics were allowed | None reported | Patient diary | No |
| Little 2005a | Acute uncomplicated lower respiratory tract infection | ≥ 3 years | Symptom duration and severity, antibiotic use, satisfaction, belief in antibiotics | Immediate group: prescription for 10 days amoxicillin Delayed group: prescription written and left at reception for patient to retrieve if wanted (but advised to wait 14 days) Leaflet groups: 1‐page information leaflet covering natural history of illness, when to seek further help All groups: statement about analgesics, natural history of illness and prescribing strategy read out by physicians |
37 GPs | 6 groups (factorial): 1) No antibiotics, no leaflet 2) Delayed antibiotics, no leaflet 3) Immediate antibiotics, no leaflet 4) No antibiotics, leaflet 5) Delayed antibiotics, leaflet 6) Immediate antibiotics, leaflet Delay = 14 days |
General practices, England, UK |
At index consultation; 14 days for delayed prescription group | Erythromycin if allergic to penicillin Antipyretics allowed | None reported | Reported antibiotic use in diary | 96% immediate group; 20% delayed group; 16% no ABs group |
| Mas‐Dalmau 2021 | Acute uncomplicated respiratory infection | Children (2 to 14 years) | Symptom duration and severity, antibiotic use, parental satisfaction, unscheduled visits, adverse effects | Physician structured script and patient information sheet about self‐limiting natural history of respiratory infection, adverse effects, marginal benefits of antibiotics with parents Antibiotic prescription as indicated |
Primary care paediatricians | 3 groups of antibiotic prescription use: 1) Immediate 2) Delayed, patient‐led prescription 3) None Delayed = 4 days for acute otitis media; 7 days for pharyngitis (sore throat); 15 days for rhinosinusitis; 20 days for acute bronchitis |
39 primary care centres in Spain | At index consultation; delayed asked to wait 4 days for acute otitis media; 7 days for pharyngitis (sore throat); 15 days for rhinosinusitis; 20 days for acute bronchitis (cough) | Children in delayed group advised to return if parents felt it necessary or if the child felt worse after taking the antibiotics. Children in the immediate or no antibiotics advised to return if did not feel better after 4, 7, 15, or 20 days for acute otitis media, pharyngitis (sore throat), rhinosinusitis, or acute bronchitis (cough) respectively; or if the child had a fever, or felt much worse. | None reported | None reported | None reported |
| Pichichero 1987 | Sore throat (presumed GABHS pharyngitis) | Children (4 to 18 years) | Symptomatic response, recurrent infections | Drugs supplied directly to patients Usual care 10‐day course penicillin V Delayed group provided with placebo for first 3 days, then penicillin |
Study nurse |
Immediate: usual care Delayed: placebo for 3 days then penicillin |
Primary care paediatric practice in the USA | At index consultation | Antibiotic (tablet or suspension) Antipyretics were allowed |
None reported | Check drug bottles at 3 days and 3 weeks Test urine at 3 days for antibiotic |
Confirmed in 98% cases (drug bottles); no ABs used in placebo group |
| Spiro 2006 | Acute otitis media | Children (0.5 to 12 years) | Antibiotic use, clinical symptoms, adverse outcomes, days off school or work, unscheduled medical visits, parents’ comfort with management | Provision of written prescription for antibiotics valid for 3 days Wait‐and‐see prescription group given written and verbal instructions to only fill prescription if no improvement or worsening 2 days after emergency room visit |
Emergency department clinicians |
Immediate: usual care Wait‐and‐see prescription: wait 2 days |
Paediatric emergency department in the USA | At index consultation and within 3 days if prescription filled | Ibuprofen and otic drops as needed Primary care contact if worsening |
None reported | Verification of filling of prescription by phone call to designated pharmacies for 28% of the sample | All instances of no filling of prescription confirmed by pharmacies, and 90% confirmation of parent report of prescription filled |
ABs: antibiotics GABHS: group A beta‐haemolytic streptococcus GP: general practitioner