BMJ  2006;333:446 (26 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7565.446-b

Letter

Managing conjunctivitis in general practice

Recommendations depend on health system

EDITOR—The conclusions drawn by Everitt et al that delayed prescribing of antibiotics is probably the most appropriate strategy for managing acute conjunctivitis in primary care are really dependent on the health system.¹ For the outcome of interest to patients—duration of symptoms—immediate antibiotics were clearly superior to delayed or no antibiotics. Whether the outcome of interest to the general practitioner—reattendance of the patient—is superior or inferior depends on the system. In the UK system, reattendance is discouraged by general practitioners; in Australia, with a fee-for-service system, it is not.

School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 33, Hobart 7001, Australia Mark.Nelson{at}utas.edu.au

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Competing interests: None declared.

References

1. Everitt HA, Little PS, Smith PWF. A randomised controlled trial of management strategies for acute infective conjunctivitis in general practice. BMJ 2006;333: 321. (12 August.)[Abstract/Free Full Text]

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