Antibiotics in Dutch general practice: nationwide electronic GP database and national reimbursement rates.

Purpose: In order to assess whether different databases generate information which can be reliable compared with each other, this study aimed to assess to which degree prescribing rates for systemic antibiotics from a nationwide electronic general practitioner (GP) database correspond with national reimbursement rates, and to investigate for which indications antibiotics are prescribed.

Methods: Nationwide GP prescribing data were collected from the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice (DNSGP-2) based on 90 general practices serving 358 008 patients in 2001. Dutch national reimbursement rates for GPs were derived from claims data of the Dutch Drug Information System/Health Care Insurance Board (GIP/CVZ) from 2001.

Determinants of antibiotic overprescribing in respiratory tract infections in general practice.

Objectives: To assess determinants of antibiotic overprescribing in patients with sinusitis, tonsillitis and bronchitis in Dutch general practice.

Patients And Methods: A total of 146 general practitioners (GPs) from The Netherlands included all patients with sinusitis, tonsillitis and bronchitis during a 4 week period in the winter of 2002/2003, and recorded patient characteristics, clinical presentation and management. Overprescribing of antibiotics was assessed using the recommendations of the Dutch national guidelines as a benchmark.

Analysis of under- and overprescribing of antibiotics in acute otitis media in general practice.

Objectives: To assess clinical determinants of under- and overprescribing of antibiotics according to the Dutch national guideline for patients with acute otitis media (AOM) in general practice.

Patients And Methods: A total of 146 general practitioners (GPs) from the Netherlands included all patients with AOM during a 4 week period in winter, and recorded patient characteristics, clinical presentation and management. Under- and overprescribing of antibiotics in AOM was assessed using the Dutch national guideline.

Prescribing antibiotics for respiratory tract infections by GPs: management and prescriber characteristics.

Background: Due to clinical and non-clinical factors, considerable variation exists in the prescribing of antibiotics for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) by GPs based in the Netherlands.

Aim: To assess, in patients with RTIs in Dutch general practice: the prescribing rates of antibiotics; the relationship between GP characteristics and antibiotic prescribing; and the type of antibiotics prescribed.

Design Of Study: Descriptive and prognostic.

Antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections in Dutch primary care in relation to patient age and clinical entities.

Objectives: To obtain detailed information on current prescribing rates of antibiotics for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in Dutch general practice and its relation with age and respiratory tract clinical entities.

Methods: We assessed the mean proportion of antibiotics prescribed for RTIs per age group, contact-based and population-based using all patient contacts concerning RTIs in the year 2000 selected from the IPCI database, containing information on general practice consultations of 235,290 patients.

Results: In one-third of all contacts concerning RTIs, antibiotics were prescribed, with much variation between age groups and clinical entities.

Left-right differences in Eustachian tube function in children with ventilation tubes.

Objective: To study the intraindividual variation in Eustachian tube (ET) function in children with ventilation tubes.

Methods: The forced response test, the pressure equilibration test and the sniff test were performed on both ears of 148 children. The results of both ears were compared.