Evolution of the management of community-acquired pneumonia in general practice in Bordeaux downtown (1992-1995)

Lower- respiratory tract infections (LRTI) are very often managed by Genera l Practitioners (GPs). br France, the 1991 Lille Consensus Conference set o ut guidelines far the management of respiratory tract infections, in 1994, the Ministry of Health published Official Medical Recommendations (OMR) to be applied to seasonal respiratory infections. The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of these QMR in 1995 on GPs' attitude when confronted with a community-acquired pneumonia in a previous ly healthy 40-year-old adult, with no sign of complications. Sixty seven GP s took part in the same study by questionnaire in 1992 and 1995; we observe d an increase in the prescription of aminopenicillin without a beta-lactama se inhibitor (41% in 1992 vs 66% in 1995; p=0.009), and a reduction in both the use of aminopenicillin with a beta-lactamase inhibitor (35% in 1992 vs 11% in 1995; p = 0.002) and the concomitant prescription of corrico-steroi ds (43% in 1992 vs 14% in 1995; p = 0.0009). Between 1992 and 1995, general practitioners in the Bordeaux region have ch anged their therapeutic choices in community acquired pneumonia. In 1995, a ntibiotic prescriptions followed consensus guidelines more closely.