Antibiotics linked to hospital admissions

High levels of antibiotic prescription are linked to increased risk of hospital admission, according to a UK analysis published today.

Nine or more prescriptions over three years are linked to a doubled risk of hospital admission with another infection, according to the Manchester University researchers.

The researchers speculate that over-use of antibiotics may reduce resistance to infection – although the findings may also indicate a link with patients who are already vulnerable to infection.

Researchers analysed date on two million patients treated this century for common infections such as UTI, ear and chest infections and upper respiratory tract.

Writing in BMC Medicine, they say that risk of hospital admission increased with the number of infections.

Researcher Professor Tjeerd van Staa said: “GPs care about their patients, and over recent years have worked hard to reduce the prescribing of antibiotics.

“But it is clear GPs do not have the tools to prescribe antibiotics effectively for common infections, especially when patients already have previously used antibiotics.

“They may prescribe numerous courses of antibiotics over a several years, which according to our study increases the risk of a more serious infection. That in turn, we show, is linked to hospital admissions.”

He added: “We don’t know why this is, but overuse of antibiotics might kill the good bacteria in the gut (microbiota) and make us more susceptible to infections, for example.

“Prescribing antibiotics for a common infection, even though it’s not certain whether it’s viral – where antibiotics are not indicated – or bacterial – where they are – might be easier when there is little time.

“And in a large practice, where there is no named GP, doctors may be less likely to know their patients and less tuned in to their history and circumstances to make informed decisions.”

The effectiveness of frequent antibiotic use in reducing the risk of infection-related hospital admissions: results from two large population-based cohorts BMC Medicine 2 March 2020