Table 2 Relative frequency of diagnostic information for patients started on antibiotics in medicine, and surgery (normal ranges are those defined in the local laboratory)
From: Antibiotic prescribing in general medical and surgical specialties: a prospective cohort study
Diagnostic Information | Total 326 n (%) | Medicine 162 n (%) | Surgery 164 n (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
White Cell Count | |||
Normal (4.2–11.2 × 109/L) | 128 (39.3) | 76 (47.0) | 52 (31.7) |
Abnormal | 197 (60.4) | 86 (53.0) | 111 (68.1) |
No Data | 1 (0.3) | 0 | 1 (0.6) |
Body Temperature | |||
Normal (36.5–37.5 °C) | 168 (51.5) | 70 (43.2) | 98 (60.0) |
Abnormal | 157 (48.2) | 91 (56.2) | 66 (40.0) |
No Data | 1 (0.3) | 1 (0.6) | 0 |
Body temperature and White Cell Count | |||
Normal | 64 (19.4) | 32 (19.4) | 32 (19.4) |
Abnormal | 260 (80.0) | 129 (80.0) | 131(80.0) |
No Data | 2 (0.6) | 1 (0.6) | 1 (0.6) |
C-reactive Protein | |||
Normal (< 6 mg/L) | 17 (5.2) | 11 (7.0) | 6 (3.7) |
Abnormal (> 6 mg/L) | 308 (94.5) | 151 (93.0) | 157 (95.7) |
No Data | 1 (0.3) | 0 | 1 (0.6) |
Chest X-ray at start of antibiotic | |||
Yes | 154 (47.0) | 90 (55.6) | 64 (39.0) |
No | 172 (53.0) | 72 (44.4) | 100 (61.0) |
Sign of infection on chest X-ray | |||
Yes | 53 (16.0) | 36 (22.0) | 17 (10.0) |
No | 101 (31.0) | 54 (33.3) | 47 (29.0) |
No imaging | 172 (53.0) | 72 (44.4) | 100 (61.0) |
Microbiological culture collected before antibiotic initiation | |||
Yes | 90 (27.6) | 42 (26.0) | 48 (29.0) |
No | 236 (72.4) | 120 (74.0) | 116 (71.0) |
The result of microbiological culture collected before antibiotic initiation | |||
No growth (negative culture) | 44 (13.5) | 19 (11.7) | 25 (15.0) |
Pathogen grown (positive culture) | 46 (14.1) | 23 (14.2) | 23 (14.0) |
No Culture | 236 (72.4) | 120 (74.1) | 116 (71.0) |