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- Title
Incidence and Patterns of Extended-Course Antibiotic Therapy in Patients Evaluated for Lyme Disease.
- Authors
Yi-Ju Tseng; Cami, Aurel; Goldmann, Donald A.; DeMaria Jr., Alfred; Mandl, Kenneth D.
- Abstract
Background. Most patients with Lyme disease (LD) can be treated effectively with 2-4 weeks of antibiotics. The Infectious Disease Society of America guidelines do not currently recommend extended treatment even in patients with persistent symptoms. Methods. To estimate the incidence of extended use of antibiotics in patients evaluated for LD, we retrospectively analyzed claims from a nationwide US health insurance plan in 14 high-prevalence states over 2 periods: 2004- 2006 and 2010-2012. Results. As measured by payer claims, the incidence of extended antibiotic therapy among patients evaluated for LD was higher in 2010-2012 (14.72 per 100 000 person-years; n = 684) than in 2004-2006 (9.94 per 100 000 personyears; n = 394) (P < .001). Among these patients, 48.8% were treated with ὅ2 antibiotics in 2010-2012 and 29.9% in 2004-2006 (P < .001). In each study period, a distinct small group of providers (roughly 3%-4%) made the diagnosis in >20% of the patients who were evaluated for LD and prescribed extended antibiotic treatment. Conclusions. Insurance claims data suggest that the use of extended courses of antibiotics and multiple antibiotics in the treatment of LD has increased in recent years.
- Subjects
LYME disease treatment; ANTIBIOTICS; BORRELIA burgdorferi; DISEASE prevalence; UNITED States. Food &; Drug Administration; HEALTH insurance claims
- Publication
Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2015, Vol 61, Issue 10, p1536
- ISSN
1058-4838
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/cid/civ636