Table 1 Characteristics and Antibiotic Use of 1884 Fever Patients Presenting at Singapore Polyclinics, December 2007-February 2013
Characteristics | N (%) | Antibiotic use, n (%) | p-value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age in years | |||||
17–24 | 482 | (25.6) | 80 | (16.6) | 0.052 |
25–34 | 529 | (28.1) | 65 | (12.3) | |
35–44 | 309 | (16.4) | 55 | (17.8) | |
45–54 | 279 | (14.8) | 52 | (18.6) | |
55–64 | 193 | (10.2) | 37 | (19.2) | |
65 and above | 92 | (4.9) | 20 | (21.7) | |
Gender | |||||
Female | 649 | (34.4) | 129 | (19.9) | 0.003 |
Male | 1235 | (65.6) | 180 | (14.6) | |
Year of enrolment | |||||
Dec 2007–2008 | 146 | (7.7) | 28 | (19.2) | 0.003 |
2009 | 232 | (12.3) | 53 | (22.8) | |
2010 | 611 | (32.4) | 76 | (12.4) | |
2011 | 576 | (30.6) | 102 | (17.7) | |
2012-Feb 2013 | 319 | (16.9) | 50 | (15.7) | |
Recruiting polyclinic | |||||
Polyclinic A | 928 | (49.3) | 220 | (23.7) | <0.001 |
Polyclinic B | 620 | (32.9) | 52 | (8.4) | |
Polyclinic C | 193 | (10.2) | 19 | (9.8) | |
Polyclinic D | 101 | (5.4) | 5 | (5.0) | |
Polyclinic E | 42 | (2.2) | 13 | (31.0) | |
Body Mass Index (kg/m2) | |||||
<18.5 | 162 | (8.6) | 39 | (24.1) | <0.001 |
18.5–22.9 | 798 | (42.4) | 111 | (13.9) | |
23–27.4 | 634 | (33.7) | 93 | (14.7) | |
≥27.5 | 290 | (15.4) | 66 | (22.8) | |
Ethnicity | |||||
Chinese | 958 | (50.8) | 182 | (19.0) | 0.001 |
Indian | 312 | (16.6) | 39 | (12.5) | |
Malay | 330 | (17.5) | 59 | (17.9) | |
Other | 283 | (15.0) | 29 | (10.2) | |
Missing values | 1 | (0.1) | |||
Housing type | |||||
Condominium | 66 | (3.5) | 13 | (19.7) | <0.001 |
Dormitory/Hostel | 228 | (12.1) | 9 | (3.9) | |
Public housing (HDB flat) | 1399 | (74.3) | 251 | (17.9) | |
Landed Property | 118 | (6.3) | 29 | (24.6) | |
Work site | 71 | (3.8) | 7 | (9.9) | |
Missing values | 2 | (0.1) | |||
Duration of illness | |||||
≤5 days | 1053 | (55.9) | 135 | (12.8) | <0.001 |
>5 days | 760 | (40.3) | 168 | (22.1) | |
Missing values | 71 | (3.8) | |||
Diabetes | |||||
No | 1797 | (95.4) | 286 | (15.9) | 0.01 |
Yes | 87 | (4.6) | 23 | (26.4) | |
Initial body temperature (° C) | |||||
<38 | 596 | (31.6) | 83 | (13.9) | 0.047 |
38–38.9 | 921 | (48.9) | 153 | (16.6) | |
≥39 | 365 | (19.4) | 73 | (20.0) | |
Missing values | 2 | (0.1) | |||
Number of initial symptoms other than fever | |||||
0–2 | 280 | (14.9) | 27 | (9.6) | 0.002 |
3–4 | 487 | (25.8) | 74 | (15.2) | |
5–7 | 657 | (34.9) | 118 | (18.0) | |
8–15 | 460 | (24.4) | 90 | (19.6) | |
Number of initial visit symptoms persisting at the first follow-upa | |||||
0 | 821 | (43.6) | 79 | (9.6) | <0.001 |
1 | 358 | (19.0) | 64 | (17.9) | |
2 | 264 | (14.0) | 60 | (22.7) | |
3 | 154 | (8.2) | 52 | (33.8) | |
≥4 | 246 | (13.1) | 54 | (22.0) | |
Missing values | 41 | (2.2) | |||
Occurrence of new symptoms reported at the first follow-upa | |||||
0 | 1214 | (64.4) | 175 | (14.4) | 0.001 |
1 | 372 | (19.7) | 76 | (20.4) | |
2 | 155 | (8.2) | 32 | (20.6) | |
≥3 | 102 | (5.4) | 26 | (25.5) | |
Missing values | 41 | (2.2) | |||
Influenza-like illnessb | |||||
No | 1123 | (59.6) | 160 | (14.2) | 0.002 |
Yes | 759 | (40.3) | 149 | (19.6) | |
Missing values | 2 | (0.1) | |||
Type of employment | |||||
Not employed | 365 | (19.4) | 61 | (16.7) | 0.284 |
Blue collar | 1032 | (54.8) | 155 | (15.0) | |
White collar | 438 | (23.2) | 83 | (18.9) | |
Other | 47 | (2.5) | 9 | (19.1) | |
Missing values | 2 | (0.1) | |||
Season | |||||
NEM | 479 | (25.4) | 77 | (16.1) | 0.821 |
PSWM | 395 | (21.0) | 63 | (15.9) | |
SWM | 709 | (37.6) | 114 | (16.1) | |
PNEM | 301 | (16.0) | 55 | (18.3) | |
Hospitalization as a result of febrile illness | |||||
Not hospitalized | 1831 | (97.2) | 301 | (16.4) | 0.354 |
Hospitalized | 53 | (2.8) | 8 | (15.1) | |
WBC count at initial visit (×109 cells/L) | |||||
Leukopenia (<4) | 204 | (10.8) | 26 | (12.7) | 0.001 |
Normal range (4–11) | 1362 | (72.3) | 210 | (15.4) | |
Leukocytosis (>11) | 305 | (16.2) | 71 | (23.3) | |
Missing values | 13 | (0.7) | |||
Anemia at initial visit (hemoglobin concentration in g/dl)# | |||||
No anemia (male, ≥13; female, ≥12) | 1685 | (89.4) | 281 | (16.7) | 0.702 |
Mild anemia (male, 11–12.9; female, 11–11.9) | 121 | (6.4) | 17 | (14.0) | |
Moderate anemia (8–10.9) | 48 | (2.5) | 6 | (12.5) | |
Severe anemia (<8) | 10 | (0.5) | 1 | (10.0) | |
Missing values | 20 | (1.1) | |||
Platelet count at initial visit (plt/μL) | |||||
Thrombocytopenia (<150) | 279 | (14.8) | 42 | (15.1) | 0.609 |
Normal range (150–400) | 1547 | (82.1) | 260 | (16.8) | |
Thrombocytosis (>400) | 40 | (2.1) | 5 | (12.5) | |
Missing values | 18 | (1.0) | |||