The PACE study

Title

Primary care use of a C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Point of Care Test (POCT) to help target antibiotic prescribing to patients with Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (AECOPD) who are most likely to benefit

Aim

The study aimed to develop better ways of treating COPD attacks or flares (sometimes called acute exacerbations). It involved seeing whether a quick and easy finger prick blood test could help guide the use of antibiotics during acute exacerbations.

Results & recommendations

We found that a simple finger-prick blood test could help prevent unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics for people with the lung condition chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Read the news article on the University of Oxford website: http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2019-07-11-finger-prick-blood-test-could-help-reduce-antibiotic-use-some-patients

Infographic

An infographic has been specially developed to present the PACE study findings and recommendations:

Publication

The findings of PACE have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine in July 2019:

Butler CC, Gillespie D, White P, Bates J, Lowe R, Thomas-Jones E, Wootton M, Hood K, Phillips R, Melbye H, Llor C, Cals Y, et al. C-Reactive Protein Testing to Guide Antibiotic Prescribing for COPD Exacerbations. N Engl J Med 2019; 381:111-120 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1803185

Video