摘要：Aim: Antibiotics have been more and more frequently prescribed since 1980. Consequently, we decided to analyse out-patient prescriptions for antibiotics and a number of associated drugs. Method: In this observational cross-sectional study, we used data emanating from the computer database of the Champagne-Ardenne and Lorraine regions (excluding Moselle) of French national health insurance in order to obtain a list of all drugcoded, out-patient per os antibiotic prescriptions in 1998. Results: We studied 2,080,991 antibiotic prescriptions. The crude regional incidence rate for antibiotic prescription was 1,417 per 1,000 person-years. The five principal antibiotic classes prescribed were : penicillins A (31.7 % ± 0.1 %), macrolides (18.5 % ± 0.1 %), first generation cephalosporins (10.6 % ± 0.1 %), penicillins associated with β -lactamase inhibitors (8.4 % ± 0.1 %), and third generation cephalosporins (6.3 % ± 0.1 %). We found the concomitant prescription of paracetamol in 36.7 % ± 0.1 %, of expectorants in 32.9 % ± 0.1 %, of antitussives in 18.8 % ± 0.1 %, of nasal decongestants in 16.3 % ± 0.1 %, of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in 7.9 % ± 0.1 %, of per os corticosteroids in 7.7 % ± 0.1 % and of aspirin in 7.6 % ± 0.1 %. Conclusion : The incidence of antibiotic prescription was higher in these regions than in the rest of France. In 1999, the French Agency for Sanitary Safety for Health Products (AFSSaPS) published guidelines aimed at helping clinicians reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics.
