global Point Of Care
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat to global health, economies, and societies.
In July 2022, the European Commission identified antimicrobial resistance as one of the top three global health threats.1 The Lancet’s recent series on AMR underscores the human cost of this crisis. According to the series, nearly five million deaths per year are associated with drug-resistant bacteria, disproportionately impacting low- and middle-income countries.2
AMR undermines our ability to treat common infections, resulting in prolonged illness, disability, and increased mortality. Without effective antimicrobials for the prevention and treatment of infections, the success of major surgeries or chemotherapies could be compromised.3
Antibiotic resistance is already associated with high costs.4,5,6 Most of the costs are caused by longer hospitalizations to treat the consequences of AMR.6 The costs of AMR will be‑borne most severely by future generations, impacting economic stability and increasing severe poverty as early as 2030.7,8
The misuse and overuse of antibiotics is a significant contributor to rising antimicrobial resistance.9 In Europe, more than 90% of all antibiotic prescriptions for humans occur in community settings10, with acute respiratory tract infections (aRTIs) being by far the most common reason for prescribing antibiotics in primary care.11,12 A large proportion of these antibiotic prescriptions are estimated to be inappropriate as most aRTIs are caused by viral or self-limiting bacterial infections.11,12,13 Currently, in most countries treatment decisions are usually based on examining patient symptoms without diagnostic confirmation of a bacterial infection.
Antimicrobial stewardship is a critical strategy in the fight against AMR. There is consensus that antibiotic resistance development and spread can be curtailed by limiting antibiotic use, discouraging misuse, and reducing the burden of infectious disease. A well-functioning Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) is instrumental in accomplishing these goals. Importantly, it plays a critical role in broad-based, larger-scale efforts to help preserve our antibiotic resources for future generations.
One particularly valuable tool in antimicrobial stewardship is C-reactive protein (CRP) testing, to differentiate between self-limiting infections and severe infections. By using CRP testing, healthcare providers can make more informed decisions about whether antibiotics are needed.16
The European Network for Antibiotic Stewardship at the Point-of-Care (ENASPOC) is a multi-disciplinary initiative aimed at improving antibiotic stewardship in primary care. It was established to address the urgent threat of AMR, which is exacerbated by the over-prescribing of antibiotics, particularly for respiratory tract infections (RTIs).17
ENASPOC focuses on implementing proven strategies, such as CRP point-of-care testing, to guide antibiotic prescriptions more effectively. For healthcare professionals, ENASPOC offers valuable resources and support to enhance their antibiotic stewardship efforts, including training materials, scientific evidence, and best practices to help improve patient outcomes and effectively combat AMR.
The group of ENASPOC experts published their recommendations about the use and the interpretation of CRP POC values in adults and in children presenting with RTIs and key messages for communication with patients and parents.18,19 Additionally, they published their recommendations for the implementation of CRP POCT.16
The European Network for Antibiotic Stewardship at the Point-of-Care (ENASPOC) is a multi-disciplinary initiative aimed at improving antibiotic stewardship in primary care. It was established to address the urgent threat of AMR, which is exacerbated by the over-prescribing of antibiotics, particularly for respiratory tract infections (RTIs).17
ENASPOC focuses on implementing proven strategies, such as CRP point-of-care testing, to guide antibiotic prescriptions more effectively. For healthcare professionals, ENASPOC offers valuable resources and support to enhance their antibiotic stewardship efforts, including training materials, scientific evidence, and best practices to help improve patient outcomes and effectively combat AMR.
The group of ENASPOC experts published their recommendations about the use and the interpretation of CRP POC values in adults and in children presenting with RTIs and key messages for communication with patients and parents.18,19 Additionally, they published their recommendations for the implementation of CRP POCT.16
The European Network for Antibiotic Stewardship at the Point-of-Care (ENASPOC) is a multi-disciplinary initiative aimed at improving antibiotic stewardship in primary care. It was established to address the urgent threat of AMR, which is exacerbated by the over-prescribing of antibiotics, particularly for respiratory tract infections (RTIs).17
ENASPOC focuses on implementing proven strategies, such as CRP point-of-care testing, to guide antibiotic prescriptions more effectively. For healthcare professionals, ENASPOC offers valuable resources and support to enhance their antibiotic stewardship efforts, including training materials, scientific evidence, and best practices to help improve patient outcomes and effectively combat AMR.
The group of ENASPOC experts published their recommendations about the use and the interpretation of CRP POC values in adults and in children presenting with RTIs and key messages for communication with patients and parents.18,19 Additionally, they published their recommendations for the implementation of CRP POCT.16
The team of international experts from the ENASPOC initiative encourages healthcare regulators and policymakers to enable the broader application of CRP POCT and complementary strategies in primary care for patients with RTIs.16
They suggest the following interventions:
The misuse and overprescription of antimicrobials, including antibiotics for viral and self-limiting bacterial infections, are key contributors to the escalating problem of antimicrobial resistance.
Point-of-care C-reactive protein (CRP) testing has emerged as an essential tool in combatting AMR, helping healthcare professionals to make informed decisions about antibiotic use. CRP POCT offers a quick and reliable indicator to better understand the severity of an infection and to understand if an infection is self-limiting or not. A large part of the antibiotics consumed in the community is estimated to be used inappropriately as the majority are self-limiting (viral or bacterial) infections and patients would not benefit from antibiotics.16,18,19 Most of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are viral and therefore antibiotics have no clinical benefit and yet RTIs are one of the most common reasons for unnecessary antibiotic prescribing.11,12,13 High CRP values are helpful in identifying those patients who need antibiotic treatment.
Recently CRP POCT has been highlighted by OECD and WHO as a useful tool for Antibiotic Stewardship to tackle AMR.6,20
CRP POCT provides quick results, enabling timely clinical decisions. Rapid diagnostics may decrease the amount of inappropriate prescribing by shortening the time to receive a test result and guiding treatment decisions. The decrease in the amount of time to analyse a result considerably benefits disease management.21,22
Accurate CRP levels help healthcare providers determine the necessity of antibiotics. With quick evidence-based decisions, we can expect better patient outcomes, while supporting antibiotic stewardship programmes.
As a marker of severity of an infection, CRP testing supports decisions about antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections and therefore reduces the misuse of antibiotics. Studies have demonstrated that CRP is an available and proven tool and can safely and cost-effectively reduce antibiotic prescriptions in primary care.11,16,23
Patients may have the expectation to get antibiotics prescribed. To have a CRP available during the visit of a patient may support the communication with patients to convince them once antibiotics are not given additional benefit. Key messages for the communication with adult patients and with parents can be found in the publications of the ENASPOC experts.18,19
Recent systematic reviews concluded that CRP point-of-care testing and communication skills training are cost-effective or cost-beneficial strategies for reducing inappropriate antimicrobial prescribing.23,24 These interventions can help mitigate the financial strain on healthcare systems by reducing unnecessary antibiotic use and associated costs.
CRP POCT provides quick results, enabling timely clinical decisions. Rapid diagnostics may decrease the amount of inappropriate prescribing by shortening the time to receive a test result and guiding treatment decisions. The decrease in the amount of time to analyse a result considerably benefits disease management.21,22
Accurate CRP levels help healthcare providers determine the necessity of antibiotics. With quick evidence-based decisions, we can expect better patient outcomes, while supporting antibiotic stewardship programmes.
As a marker of severity of an infection, CRP testing supports decisions about antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections and therefore reduces the misuse of antibiotics. Studies have demonstrated that CRP is an available and proven tool and can safely and cost-effectively reduce antibiotic prescriptions in primary care.11,16,23
Patients may have the expectation to get antibiotics prescribed. To have a CRP available during the visit of a patient may support the communication with patients to convince them once antibiotics are not given additional benefit. Key messages for the communication with adult patients and with parents can be found in the publications of the ENASPOC experts.18,19
Recent systematic reviews concluded that CRP point-of-care testing and communication skills training are cost-effective or cost-beneficial strategies for reducing inappropriate antimicrobial prescribing.23,24 These interventions can help mitigate the financial strain on healthcare systems by reducing unnecessary antibiotic use and associated costs.
Abbott offers a best-in-class rapid diagnostic which enables healthcare practitioners to distinguish between respiratory tract infections that require treatment and those that are self-limiting as well as several other diagnostic tools that can help clinicians identify pathogens at the point of care and define an appropriate treatment strategy earlier.
The Afinion™ 2 analyzer is a compact, rapid, multi-assay analyser that provides valuable near patient testing at the point-of-care. With the Afinion System there’s no need to send test results to the lab or spend time tracking them down. That way you can keep your focus where it belongs – on the patient.
Afinion™ CRP is a rapid in vitro diagnostic test for quantitative determination of C-reactive protein (CRP) in human blood. In a recent evaluation of four CRP POC test, Afinion™ CRP achieved the best agreement with the central laboratory method and was judged to be the most user-friendly device.25
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