Bottom Line: This study looked at trends over time in oral antibiotic prescribing by dermatologists using commercial insurance claims data for almost 986,000 courses of oral antibiotics prescribed by nearly 12,000 dermatologists. Overall, between 2008 and 2016, there was a decrease in antibiotic prescribing (from 3.36 to 2.13 courses per 100 visits with a dermatologist) and much of that decline came from a decrease in extended courses of antibiotics prescribed for acne and rosacea. However, prescribing of postoperative antibiotics after surgical visits increased (from 3.92 to 6.65 courses per 100 visits) and researchers suggest that practice be evaluated. The possibility of misclassification of diagnoses related to antibiotic prescriptions exists in this observational study.
Authors: John S. Barbieri, M.D., M.B.A., of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, and coauthors
(doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.4944)
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JAMA Dermatology