IntroductionAntibiotic resistance is a serious and increasing worldwide threat to global public health. One of antibiotic stewardship programmes’ objectives are to reduce inappropriate broad-spectrum antibiotics’ prescription. Selective reporting of antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) results, which consists of reporting to prescribers only few (n=5-6) antibiotics, preferring first-line and narrow-spectrum agents, is one possible strategy advised in recommendations. However, selective reporting of AST has never been evaluated using an experimental design.Methods and analysisThis study is a pragmatic, prospective, multicentre, controlled (selective reporting vs usual complete reporting of AST), before-after (year 2019 vs 2017) study. Selective reporting of AST is scheduled to be implemented from September 2018 in the ATOUTBIO group of 21 laboratories for all Escherichia coli identified in urine cultures in adult outpatients, and to be compared with the usual complete AST performed in the EVOLAB group of 20 laboratories. The main objective is to assess the impact of selective reporting of AST for E. coli-positive urine cultures in the outpatient setting on the prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics frequently used for urinary tract infections (amoxicillin-clavulanate, third-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones). The primary end point is the after (2019)–before (2017) difference in prescription rates for the previously mentioned antibiotics/classes that will be compared between the two laboratory groups, using linear regression models. Secondary objectives are to evaluate the feasibility of selective reporting of AST implementation by French laboratories and their acceptability by organising focus groups and individual semi-structured interviews with general practitioners and laboratory professionals.Ethics and disseminationThis protocol was approved by French national ethics committees (Comité d’expertise pour les recherches, les études et les évaluations dans le domaine de la santé (TPS 29064) and Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés (Décision DR-2018–141)). Findings of this study will be widely disseminated through conference presentations, reports, factsheets and academic publications and generalisation will be further discussed.Trial registration number NTC03612297.

Background Selective reporting of antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) is a recommended antibiotic stewardship strategy, aiming at reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions. Objectives Our objectives were to evaluate (i) the feasibility of the implementation of selective reporting of AST for urine cultures for laboratory professionals; and (ii) its acceptability by prescribers and laboratory professionals, to explore facilitators and barriers to its potential implementation on a national scale. Methods As part of the ‘ANTIBIO-ciblés’ interventional study (north-eastern France, August 2018–December 2019), we prospectively collected quantitative data on all resources dedicated by the laboratories of the intervention group to implement selective reporting of AST for Escherichia coli-positive urine cultures, and on the numbers and reasons of complete reporting of AST the prescribers requested to the laboratories. We also collected qualitative data using semi-structured interviews and focus groups of GPs and laboratory professionals. Results The implementation of selective reporting of AST required around 80 h and cost 23 000 euros. All interviewed professionals were favourable toward the principle of this tool. Most of them found it clear, simple and useful to improve the appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions and reduce antibiotic resistance. Its major constraint was the necessity for GPs to call the laboratory to obtain the complete reporting of AST, but the number of requests was actually low (1.2% of all selective reporting of AST). Conclusions Selective reporting of AST resulted in reasonable human and financial costs, and was well accepted by both GPs and laboratory professionals.

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