For a study, researchers sought to understand that it is unknown how well these suggestions were followed or whether there are any obvious variations amongst the participating specializations (general practitioners, urologists, pediatricians, and gynaecologists). Investigators used de-identified data from a regional supplier of statutory health insurance (SHI), which between 2015 and 2019 provided SHI coverage to around 38% of all Bremen federal state residents who were eligible. Demographic information, outpatient diagnoses, and individually completed prescriptions for medicines were all included in the data. In 2015, 5.8% of people (females: 9.2%; males: 2.5%) experienced uTIs annually. Under-18-year-olds made up 6.0% of the 102,715 UTI infections, with women accounting for 78.6% of cases and men for 21.4%. General practitioners (52.2%), urologists (20.0%), and gynecologists (16.1%) were the diagnostic specialists that females used the most frequently. Overall, fluoroquinolones (26.3%), sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (14.2%), and fosfomycin (16.1%) were the most frequently prescribed drugs. Gynecologists preferred fosfomycin, while general practitioners and urologists preferred to use fluoroquinolones. Fluoroquinolone share declined from 29.4% to 8.7% in females and from 45.9% to 22.3% in males over the duration of the study. There was still space for improvement in the use of second-line antibiotics, particularly fluoroquinolones, despite a clearly discernible trend toward a more compliant prescribing pattern. Gynecologists are more likely than other specialties to suggest antibiotics that are advised by guidelines, mostly because fosfomycin is more frequently prescribed by them.
Source: bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-022-01816-6
