A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial to Compare the Rate of Antibiotic Infusion

Acute upper respiratory tract infection, commonly known as upper respiratory infection, is an acute inflammation primarily affecting the nose, pharynx, or larynx caused by various viruses and/or bacteria. Viruses are more common, accounting for 70% to 80% of cases, while bacterial infections account for 20% to 30%. For a long time, the high rate of intravenous infusion use has been a prominent issue in clinical diagnosis and treatment in China. The irrational and excessive use of antimicrobials in emergency patients with upper respiratory tract bacterial infections has also become increasingly apparent, imposing unnecessary financial burdens and risks of drug side effects on patients. Therefore, reducing the rate of intravenous antimicrobial administration in emergency patients with upper respiratory tract bacterial infections has become an urgent problem to be solved. By implementing measures such as health education by clinical pharmacists and enhancing the awareness of rational antimicrobial use in doctors, it is expected to lower the rate of intravenous antimicrobial administration, reduce the occurrence of drug resistance, improve treatment convenience for patients, and lower treatment costs while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether clinical pharmacists can reduce the intravenous infusion rate of antimicrobials in emergency patients with upper respiratory tract bacterial infections through medication education for emergency medical staff and to observe whether this intervention will affect the prognosis and medication safety of these patients.