Background: The objective of this study was to describe current sore throat management practices among family physicians and to estimate potential benefits of applying clinical algorithm - Centor's scale (presence of tonsillar exudates, fever, lymphadenopathy and absence of cough) in decision-making process.
Methods: Each of 44 participating family physicians was asked to fill in questionnaires for 30 consecutive patients with respiratory tract infection.
Results: Almost all decisions were made on clinical grounds. Among 169 adult patients with the clinical diagnosis of bacterial pharyngitis only 55% fulfilled 3 or more criteria on Centor's scale.
Conclusions: Family physicians overdiagnose bacterial pharyngitis. Screening adult patients with Centor's criteria would probably lead to a reduction in the prescribing of antibiotics.
Copyright 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.