INTRODUCTION
Epidemiological studies have shown that the majority
of cases of acute bronchitis are caused by viruses, with
bacterial pathogens accounting for 5–10% of acute
bronchitis in cases uncomplicated by underlying pulmonary
disease (1–5). In adults with otherwise healthy
lungs, the most common bacterial causes of acute
bronchitis are Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia
pneumoniae, and Bordetella pertussis (4,6). Of these,
antibiotic therapy is recommended only for treatment of
suspected pertussis (Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention guidelines), and it is believed that pertussis
is the causative agent in only 1% of cases of acute
bronchitis (5–7). In fact, multiple studies demonstrate
no benefit from antibacterial use in the treatment of
acute bronchitis, with one citing the superiority of
albuterol to antibiotics (6,8–12).
Current recommendations suggest that antibiotics
should not be prescribed for cases of uncomplicated
acute bronchitis (13–15). In keeping with these recommendations,
one study demonstrated an almost 50%
reduction in antibiotics prescribed for acute bronchitis in
adults from 1993–1999 (16). Many studies since then,
however, do not report a similar reduction. Recent studies
suggest that antibiotics are prescribed between 57% and
97% of the time for acute bronchitis in the emergency
department (ED), with fever, purulent sputum, shortness
of breath, and a provider age $ 30 years independently
associated with provider prescribing (16–18).
The purpose of this study is to characterize the
antibiotic and bronchodilator prescribing practices of
physicians at two EDs in the diagnosis of acute bronchitis,
and to identify factors that are, and are not, associated
with these practices.