Table 1

DU90% of all prescriptions in IPCI and THIN

DrugActive componentPercentage of DU90% (95% CI)Asthma vs no asthma
Pharmacological subgroupasthmano asthmaP values
IPCI
TetracyclinesDoxycycline7.0% (6.6–7.4)6.6%
(6.5–6.7)
0.0092
MinocyclineN/A3.6%
(3.5–3.7)
N/A
PenicillinsAmoxicillin37.5% (37.0–38.4)34.5% (34.3–34.8)<0.0001
Pheneticillin5.2% (4.9–5.5)7.7% (7.6–7.8)<0.0001
Flucloxacillin5.0% (4.6–5.3)6.3%
(6.2–6.4)
<0.0001
Amoxicillin with enzyme inhibitor12.6% (12.1–13.1)14.2% (14.0–14.4)<0.0001
Sulfonamides and trimethoprimSulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim3.8% (3.6–4.1)N/AN/A
Macroliden, lincosamides and streptograminsClarithromycin8.1% (7.7–8.5)5.6%
(5.5–5.7)
<0.0001
Azithromycin13.8% (13.4–14.4)10.1% (10.0–10.3)<0.0001
Other antibacterialsNitrofurantoin6.9% (6.5–7.2)11.5% (11.3–11.6)<0.0001
THIN
Tetracyclineslymecycline4.1% (4.0- 4.1)4.8% (4.8- 4.9)<0.0001
oxytetracycline3.2% (3.1- 3.2)3.5% (3.5- 3.5)<0.0001
Penicillinsamoxicillin38.8% (38.7- 39)33.7% (33.8-33.9)<0.0001
phenoxymethylpenicillin13.9% (13.7- 14.0)18.4% (18.3-18.4)<0.0001
flucloxacillin12.2% (12.1- 12.3)14.0% (14.0-14.0)<0.0001
amoxicillin with enzyme enhibitor4.3% (4.3- 4.4)4.4% (4.4- 4.5)0.0178
Other b-lactam antibacterialsCefalexin3.2% (3.1–3.2)3.1% (3.1–3.1)<0.0001
Sulfonamides and trimethoprimTrimethoprim5.2% (5.1–5.3)7.0% (7.0–7.0)<0.0001
Macroliden, lincosamides and  streptograminserythromycin12.1% (12.0- 12.2)11.0%  (11.0-11.1)<0.0001
clarithromycin3.2% (3.1- 3.2)N/AN/A
  • DU90%, drug utilisation 90%; IPCI, Integrated Primary Care Information database; N/A, not part of DU90%; THIN, The Health Improvement Network.