The Collaborative Assessment, OTCA12, on “C-reactive protein point-of-care testing (CRP POCT) to guide antibiotic prescribing in primary care settings for acute respiratory tract infections (RTIs)” is now available.
We are pleased to announce that the collaborative rapid assessment on “C-reactive protein point-of-care testing (CRP POCT) to guide antibiotic prescribing in primary care settings for acute respiratory tract infections (RTIs)” is available.
The aim of this collaborative assessment was to evaluate the relative effectiveness and safety of using CRP POCT to guide antibiotic prescribing in patients with RTIs in primary care settings. The relative effectiveness assessment (REA) sought to answer three questions by conducting three separate systematic reviews:
- Does the use of CRP POCT in primary care lead to a significant reduction in antibiotic prescribing without compromising patient safety? (SR1 – effectiveness and safety)
- What is the diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) of CRP in patients presenting with acute RTIs in primary care? (SR2 – DTA)
- How does the analytical performance of the commercially available CE marked CRP point-of-care tests marketed for use in primary care compare with standard laboratory CRP measurement and with each other? That is, are they are they interchangeable in terms of accuracy, precision and ease of use? (SR3 – analytical performance)
A structured approach for rating the importance of effectiveness and safety outcomes was carried out which informed the systematic review and analysis of the published literature.
The final version of the assessment was published on 31 January 2019.
Below is the documentation provided by the assessment authoring team:
OTCA12 Collaborative Assessment HERE
OTCA12 Comments from External Experts HERE
OTCA12 Comments from Manufacturers HERE
For reference, the Final Project Plan and External Expert/Manufacturer comments are available HERE
