Table 2 Antibiotic prescribing by patient characteristics for exacerbations of asthma (41 patients) and COPD (43 patients)

All

6/41 (14.6)

15/43 (34.9)

21/84 (25.0)

Age

≥65 years

1/13 (7.7)

0.4

9/25 (36.0)

0.6

10/38 (26.3)

0.5

<65 years

5/28 (17.9)

6/18 (33.3)

11/46 (23.9)

Gender

Male

3/15 (20.0)

0.4

5/16 (31.3)

0.5

8/31 (25.8)

0.5

Female

3/26 (11.5)

10/27 (37.0)

13/53 (24.5)

Smoking status

Never smoker

2/15 (13.3)

0.6*

2/8 (25.0)

0.7*

4/23 (17.4)

0.8*

Current smoker

3/11 (27.3)

8/16 (50.0)

11/27 (40.7)

Ex-smoker

1/15 (6.7)

5/19 (26.3)

6/34 (17.6)

Spirometry

FEV₁/FVC <0.7

3/7 (42.9)

0.05

13/27 (48.1)

0.02

16/34 (47.1)

< 0.001

Respiratory symptoms

Dyspnea, bothersome or very bothersome

6/38 (15.8)

0.6

15/41 (36.6)

0.4

21/79 (26.6)

0.2

very bothersome

2/9 (22.2)

0.4

6/15 (40.0)

0.4

8/24 (33.3)

0.2

Phlegm, bothersome or very bothersome

6/30 (20.0)

0.1

13/32(40.6)

0.2

19/62 (30.6)

0.04

very bothersome

2/7 (28.6)

0.3

4/6 (66.7)

0.09

6/13(46.2)

0.06

Purulence

4/19 (21.1)

0.3

6/18 (33.3)

0.5

10/37 (27.0)

0.4

Coughing, bothersome or very bothersome

6/38 (15.8)

0.6

14/38 (36.8)

0.4

20/76 (26.3)

0.3

very bothersome

2/14 (14.3)

0.7

6/12 (50.0)

0.2

8/26 (30.8)

0.3

Anthonisen criteria combined

Type III

0/10 (0)

0.08*

2/10 (20.0)

0.4*

2/20 (10.0)

0.1*

Type II

2/15 (13.3)

7/17 (41.2)

9/32 (28.1)

Type I

4/16 (25.0)

6/16 (37.5)

10/32 (31.3)

Chest findings Prolonged expiration

4/14 (28.6)

0.09

11/23 (47.8)

0.06

15/37 (40.5)

0.004

Wheezes/rhonchi

4/15 (26.7)

0.1

12/27 (44.4)

0.08

16/42 (38.1)

0.005

Diminished breath sounds

2/4 (50.0)

0.09

7/13 (53.8)

0.08

9/17 (52.9)

0.005

Crackles

2/9 (22.2)

0.4

7/16 (43.8)

0.3

9/25 (36.0)

0.1

Any abnormal chest finding

4/22 (18.2)

0.4

14/34 (41.2)

0.09

18/56 (32.1)

0.03

Lung function^a

FEV₁% predicted < 50

0/1 (0)

0.9*

3/10 (30.0)

0.7*

3/11 (27.3)

0.2*

FEV₁% predicted 50-80

2/10 (20.0)

10/25 (40.0)

12/35 (34.3)

FEV₁% predicted ≥ 80

4/25 (16.0)

1/6 (16.7)

5/31 (16.1)

C-reactive protein^b

<8 mg/L

4/24 (16.7)

0.9*

3/24 (12.5)

<0.001*

7/48 (14.6)

0.001*

8-39 mg/L

2/11 (18.2)

6/10 (60.0)

8/21 (38.1)

≥40 mg/L

0/1 (0)

5/6 (83.3)

5/7 (71.4)

Oxygen saturation (SpO₂)^c

>95%

5/27 (18.5)

0.3*

6/23 (26.1)

0.06*

11/50 (22.0)

0.01*

93-95%

0/3 (0)

1/8 (12.5)

1/11 (9.1)

<93%

1/1 (100)

6/9 (66.7)

7/10 (70.0)