|
The Sore Throat
Symptom and Complication Study: DESCARTE
(DEcision rule for
Symptoms and
Complications
of Acute
Red
Throat in
Everyday
practice) |
| |
|
|
Introduction
This is an observational study which aims to find out
which people with a sore throat get better without
problems, and also the few people who get worse or (very
rarely) suffer complications. Finding the answer to this
question will be the first step to better targeting
antibiotics in the future to those who will benefit,
help avoid side effects when antibiotics are not needed,
and reduce antibiotic ‘resistance’ in the community.
|
Study design
Patients with a sore throat (18 000) who see a
participating GP or practice nurse will be informed
about the study and asked if they wish to take part. If
interested they will be given a Patient Information
Leaflet to read and, if deciding to take part, will sign
a consent form. The GP or nurse will record the
patient’s clinical signs (e.g. tender neck glands,
inflamed tonsils) and symptoms (e.g. headache, fever),
record their temperature and details of any antibiotics
prescribed. The GP/nurse will either enter this
information direct to the study website or fill in a
paper clinical proforma and send it to the researchers.
|
Follow up
|
- All patients will be given a postcard to take
home and they are asked to send it to the
researchers if their illness gets worse (ticking
boxes to record what happened and who they sought
help from).
- Some patients (selected randomly) will be
given a diary which they will be asked to fill in
every day after seeing the GP until they are better
(recording information such as temperature, how they
feel and how satisfied they were with their
treatment).
- A representative from the local collaborating
university will go into each of the GP practices and
review the notes of patients enrolled in the study
to see if any had complications (e.g. ear infection)
or worsening symptoms.
|
Outcome
We hope that analysing the data will show differences in
the signs and symptoms of those patients developing a
complication or worsening symptoms versus those who
recovered quickly. If we find a difference we can create
a ‘Decision Rule’ which, after being prospectively
tested, GPs and nurses could use in the future to
identify patients likely to get complications or
extended symptoms. This could help with targeting
antibiotics to those most likely to benefit and help
reduce antibiotic prescribing for sore throats.
|
| |
|
|
