Table 3.
Comparison of antibiotic use
| POCT (n=360) | Control (n=354) | Risk difference (95% CI) | Unadjusted odds ratio (95% CI) | Adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) | Number needed to test (95% CI) | p value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All antibiotics | ||||||||
| Antibiotics given | 301 (84%) | 294 (83%) | 0·6% (−4·9 to 6·0) | 1·04 (0·70 to 1·54) | 0·99 (0·57 to 1·70) | .. | 0·96* | |
| Single dose only | 31/301 (10%) | 10/294 (3%) | 6·9% (2·9 to 11·0) | 3·26 (1·59 to 6·68) | .. | 15 (9 to 35)† | 0·0010 | |
| Given for <48 h | 50/301 (17%) | 26/294 (9%) | 7·8% (2·5 to 13·1) | 2·05 (1·40 to 3·39) | .. | 13 (8 to 41)‡ | 0·0047 | |
| Duration (days) | 7·2 (5·1) | 7·7 (4·9) | −0·4 (−1·2 to 0·4)§ | 0·95 (0·85 to 1·05)¶ | 0·91 (0·80 to 1·04)‖ | .. | 0·17* | |
| Intravenous antibiotics | ||||||||
| Intravenous antibiotics given | 196 (54%) | 183 (52%) | 2·7% (−4·6 to 10·0) | 1·15 (0·83 to 1·50) | .. | .. | 0·46 | |
| Single dose only | 50/196 (26%) | 37/183 (20%) | 5·3% (–3·1 to 14·0) | 1·35 (0·84 to 2·19) | .. | .. | 0·22 | |
| Given for <48 h | 106/196 (54%) | 100/183 (55%) | −0·5% (−11·0 to 9·5) | 0·98 (0·65 to 1·46) | .. | .. | 0·91 | |
| Duration (days) | 3·1 (4·6) | 2·9 (3·7) | 0·3 (−0·6 to 1·1)§ | 1·09 (0·86 to 1·40)¶ | .. | .. | 0·48 | |
Data are n (%) or mean (SD). POCT=point-of-care testing.
*
Applies to adjusted effect sizes.
†
Number needed to test to change a standard course to a single dose.
‡
Number needed to test to change a standard course to a brief course.
§
Mean difference.
¶
Unadjusted rate ratio.
‖
Adjusted rate ratio.