Control group | PCT group | p-value# | |||
All | As advised | Overruled | |||
Lost to follow-up | 3 | 1 | |||
Ab prescription at baseline and during follow-up | 101 | 59 | 23 | 36 | 0.0005 |
Time on Ab days | 7.7±3.3 | 7.8±2.8 | 8.6±2.9 | 7.3±2.6 | 0.680 |
Ab side-effects | |||||
Subjects | 16 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0.331 |
Time days | 6.1±3.7 | 5.6±2.2 | 5.6±1.5 | 5.6±2.5 | 0.940 |
Time incapable of working days | 3.9±4.9 | 4.3±4.8 | 4.2±4.7 | 4.9±5.2 | 0.066 |
RTI symptoms | |||||
At day 14 | 132 (48.0) | 120 (43.6) | 107 (45.0) | 13 (35.1) | 0.296 |
At day 28 | 87 (31.6) | 76 (27.6) | 67 (28.1) | 9 (24.3) | 0.298 |
Reassessment for any cause | 107 (38.9) | 108 (39.3) | 92 (38.5) | 16 (44.4) | 1.000 |
Reassessment with RTI symptoms | 65 (23.6) | 63 (22.9) | 54 (22.6) | 9 (25.0) | 0.917 |
Ab change during follow-up | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
Hospitalisation | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Mortality | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Data are presented as mean±sd, n (%) or absolute number. PCT: procalcitonin; Ab: antibiotic; RTI: respiratory tract infection. #: PCT versus control.