Patient profile and antibiotic use in a dedicated upper respiratory tract infection clinic based in a primary healthcare setting during COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia: A cross sectional study

Zhi Yin Ooi; Nurul Abidah Mohd Ghazali; Nang Juniza Nik Zahari; Huan Keat Chan; Norsiah Md Noor; Noor Liani Harun; Mohd Firdaus Abu Bakar; Mohd Redhuan Abdul Muin

doi:10.51866/oa.38

Patient profile and antibiotic use in a dedicated upper respiratory tract infection clinic based in a primary healthcare setting during COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia: A cross sectional study

Malays Fam Physician. 2022 Aug 25;17(3):74-83. doi: 10.51866/oa.38. eCollection 2022 Nov 30.

Authors

Zhi Yin Ooi¹, Nurul Abidah Mohd Ghazali², Nang Juniza Nik Zahari³, Huan Keat Chan⁴, Norsiah Md Noor⁵, Noor Liani Harun⁶, Mohd Firdaus Abu Bakar⁷, Mohd Redhuan Abdul Muin⁸

Affiliations

¹ MD (UNIMAS), Klinik Kesihatan Taman Universiti, Jalan Kebudayaan 28, Taman Universiti, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Email: ooizhiyin0704@gmail.com.
² MD (UMS), Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Km 6, Jln Langgar, Bandar, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia.
³ MB BCh BAO (IRELAND), Doc of Fam Med (UKM), Klinik Kesihatan Bandar Alor Setar, Aras 1 Blok A, Darul Aman Highway, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia.
⁴ MSc (USM), Clinical Research Centre, Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Km 6, Jln Langgar, Bandar, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia.
⁵ MBBS (MAL), M.MED (FAMILY MEDICINE) UKM, Klinik Kesihatan Bandar Alor Setar, Aras 1 Blok A, Darul Aman Highway, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia.
⁶ MBBS (UM), Doc of Fam Med (UKM), Klinik Kesihatan Bandar Alor Setar, Aras 1 Blok A, Darul Aman Highway, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia.
⁷ MBBS (IIUM), Klinik Kesihatan Bandar Alor Setar, Aras 1 Blok A, Darul Aman Highway, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia.
⁸ MB BCh BAO (IRELAND), Klinik Kesihatan Bandar Alor Setar, Aras 1 Blok A, Darul Aman Highway, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia.

PMID: 36606160
PMCID: PMC9809438
DOI: 10.51866/oa.38

Abstract

Introduction: Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is commonly encountered at the primary care level. Its management is particularly challenging due to the similarity of its symptoms to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Our study evaluated the profiles and antibiotic use of patients seeking care from a dedicated community-based URTI clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were obtained from the medical records of patients visiting the URTI clinic at the Alor Setar Primary Healthcare Centre between March and April 2020.

Results: Overall, 587/4388 (13.3%) patients received treatment at the URTI clinic. Most patients were male (60.6%) and aged between 20 and 39 years (35.5%). Their most common symptoms were cough (68.4%), fever (31.6%), runny nose (24.6%), and sore throat (24.1%). Most patients were diagnosed with acute nasopharyngitis (52.5%), acute pharyngitis (18.6%), or acute tonsillitis (5.3%). The symptomatic medication prescription rate was 96.5%. Only 26 of the 435 patients diagnosed with URTI received antibiotics, yielding an antibiotic use rate of only 6.0% for URTI relative to overall drug use. Acute tonsillitis was more common in children <12 years old (p<0.001), while a cough and runny nose were more commonly indicative of acute nasopharyngitis than other conditions (p<0.001). Sore throat was more likely to be a symptom of acute pharyngitis (p<0.001) and acute tonsillitis (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Despite the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings suggest that patients with URTI-like symptoms were properly managed, and the rate of antibiotic usage remained reasonable.

Keywords: Antibiotic; COVID-19; Patient profile; Primary care; URTI clinic.