A landmark cluster randomized controlled trial has demonstrated that point-of-care testing for C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A can dramatically reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing in primary care settings. The study, involving 4,982 patients across 76 rural Chinese village clinics, showed antibiotic prescribing rates plummeted from 87.6% at baseline to just 32.5% in intervention clinics, compared to minimal change in control clinics (83.1%).
The comprehensive intervention package included point-of-care testing devices, clinical decision support software, and provider training aligned with WHO antimicrobial stewardship guidelines. Crucially, the dramatic reduction in prescribing maintained comparable safety outcomes between groups, with no increase in hospitalizations or adverse events. Dr. Chris Fang, lead researcher at Duke Kunshan University’s Global Health Research Center, emphasized this represents the largest reduction in antibiotic overprescribing achieved through point-of-care testing in rural primary care.
Read the full article on GMJ Newsroom.
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