tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Epidemiol Infect. 2015 Jul 13:1-11. [Epub ahead of print]
[h=1]Influenza-attributable burden in United Kingdom primary care.[/h] Fleming DM[SUP]1[/SUP], Taylor RJ[SUP]2[/SUP], Haguinet F[SUP]3[/SUP], Schuck-Paim C[SUP]2[/SUP], Logie J[SUP]4[/SUP], Webb DJ[SUP]4[/SUP], Lustig RL[SUP]2[/SUP], Matias G[SUP]3[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]
[h=3]Abstract[/h] Influenza is rarely laboratory-confirmed and the outpatient influenza burden is rarely studied due to a lack of suitable data. We used the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and surveillance data from Public Health England in a linear regression model to assess the number of persons consulting UK general practitioners (GP episodes) for respiratory illness, otitis media and antibiotic prescriptions attributable to influenza during 14 seasons, 1995-2009. In CPRD we ascertained influenza vaccination status in each season and risk status (conditions associated with severe influenza outcomes). Seasonal mean estimates of influenza-attributable GP episodes in the UK were 857 996 for respiratory disease including 68 777 for otitis media, with wide inter-seasonal variability. In an average season, 2?4%/0?5% of children aged <5 years and 1?3%/0?1% of seniors aged ⩾75 years had a GP episode for respiratory illness attributed to influenza A/B. Two-thirds of influenza-attributable GP episodes were estimated to result in prescription of antibiotics. These estimates are substantially greater than those derived from clinically reported influenza-like illness in surveillance programmes. Because health service costs of influenza are largely borne in general practice, these are important findings for cost-benefit assessment of influenza vaccination programmes.
[h=4]KEYWORDS:[/h] Epidemiology; GP surveillance systems; infectious disease; influenza; influenza vaccines
PMID: 26168005 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
[h=1]Influenza-attributable burden in United Kingdom primary care.[/h] Fleming DM[SUP]1[/SUP], Taylor RJ[SUP]2[/SUP], Haguinet F[SUP]3[/SUP], Schuck-Paim C[SUP]2[/SUP], Logie J[SUP]4[/SUP], Webb DJ[SUP]4[/SUP], Lustig RL[SUP]2[/SUP], Matias G[SUP]3[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]
[h=3]Abstract[/h] Influenza is rarely laboratory-confirmed and the outpatient influenza burden is rarely studied due to a lack of suitable data. We used the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and surveillance data from Public Health England in a linear regression model to assess the number of persons consulting UK general practitioners (GP episodes) for respiratory illness, otitis media and antibiotic prescriptions attributable to influenza during 14 seasons, 1995-2009. In CPRD we ascertained influenza vaccination status in each season and risk status (conditions associated with severe influenza outcomes). Seasonal mean estimates of influenza-attributable GP episodes in the UK were 857 996 for respiratory disease including 68 777 for otitis media, with wide inter-seasonal variability. In an average season, 2?4%/0?5% of children aged <5 years and 1?3%/0?1% of seniors aged ⩾75 years had a GP episode for respiratory illness attributed to influenza A/B. Two-thirds of influenza-attributable GP episodes were estimated to result in prescription of antibiotics. These estimates are substantially greater than those derived from clinically reported influenza-like illness in surveillance programmes. Because health service costs of influenza are largely borne in general practice, these are important findings for cost-benefit assessment of influenza vaccination programmes.
[h=4]KEYWORDS:[/h] Epidemiology; GP surveillance systems; infectious disease; influenza; influenza vaccines
PMID: 26168005 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]