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Throat swabs have no influence on the management of patients with sore throats

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 September 2017

L Cheung ,
V Pattni ,
P Peacock ,
S Sood  and
D Gupta
L Cheung*
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Swindon, UK
V Pattni
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Swindon, UK
P Peacock
Affiliation:
Academy for Postgraduate Medical Education, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Swindon, UK
S Sood
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Swindon, UK
D Gupta
Affiliation:
Academy for Postgraduate Medical Education, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Swindon, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Miss Linnea Cheung, Department of ENT, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Marlborough Road, Swindon SN3 6BB, UK E-mail: linnea.cheung@gmail.com
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Abstract

Background:

Throat swabs are neither specific nor sensitive for micro-bacteria causing sore throat symptoms; however, current guidelines suggest they are still useful in some cases.

Method:

Retrospective and prospective analyses were conducted of throat swabs requested within the months of January 2016 and August 2016, respectively.

Results:

The study comprised 247 patients. Fifty-nine (24 per cent) had a positive culture. Forty-six grew group A beta-haemolytic streptococci, with the remainder growing candida (n = 10), coliform (n = 1) and klebsiella (n = 2). There was no significant difference in culture rates between primary or secondary care sources (χ2 = 0.56, p = 0.45). None of the swabs influenced a variation in patient management from local antimicrobial policies. Current practice has an estimated annual financial impact of £3 434 340 on the National Health Service.

Conclusion:

Throat swabs do not influence the antimicrobial treatment for patients with sore throats, even under current guidelines, and incur unnecessary cost. Current clinical guidelines could be reviewed to reduce the number of throat swabs being conducted unnecessarily.

Keywords

PharyngitisRespiratory Tract DiseasesTonsillitisStreptococcal InfectionsBacterial InfectionsCulture TechniquesMicrobiologyImmunocompromised Host
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 131 , Issue 11 , November 2017 , pp. 977 - 981
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2017 

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Footnotes

Presented at the South West Regional Audit Meeting, 13 January 2017, Exeter, UK.

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