Table 3. Flow of events through the study.

Algorithm	N events identified in the CPRD	N events sampled	N events from returned questionnaires	N events adjudicated for uncertain response	N events uncertain after respiratory physician review (% of those returned questionnaires)
All	261981	11697	8253	914	227 (2.8)
1.OCS prescription for 5–14 days	33898	1956	1285	120	32 (2.5)
2.Antibiotic prescription for 5–14 days	225761	9622	6283	809	208 (3.3)
3.OCS and antibiotic prescription for 5–14 days	22990	1374	919	72	22 (2.4)
4. Symptom definition	1745	462	341	11	2 (0.6)
5. Symptom definition and OCS prescription	553	232	156	6	1 (0.6)
6. Symptom definition and antibiotic prescription	165	132	108	5	0 (0)
7. Symptom definition and OCS & antibiotic prescription	142	112	90	3	0 (0)
8. LRTI code	60099	2753	1809	214	36 (2.0)
9. LRTI code and OCS prescription	53460	2488	1617	200	34 (2.1)
10. LRTI code and antibiotic prescription	9354	600	411	25	2 (0.5)
11. LRTI code and OCS & antibiotic prescription	8770	569	388	25	2 (0.5)
12. AECOPD code	20905	1371	966	21	0 (0)
13. AECOPD code and OCS prescription	15020	992	698	14	0 (0)
14. AECOPD code and antibiotic prescription	8571	674	466	11	0 (0)
15. AECOPD code and OCS & antibiotic prescription	7440	601	418	10	0 (0)