Strep sleuths: Solving the pharyngitis puzzle with evidence

Description

While pharyngitis is a common primary care complaint, evidence reveals that this diagnosis is an area where antibiotic therapy is frequently misused. Appropriate diagnosis and management of pharyngitis is crucial to ensure antimicrobial stewardship and improve patient safety and outcomes. Pharyngitis etiologies include both infectious and non-infectious sources such as bacteria, viruses, fungal organisms, trauma, irritants, laryngopharyngeal reflux, and medications. Clinicians need to obtain a thorough history and careful physical examination, along with appropriate diagnostic testing when indicated, to ensure treatment plans are targeted towards the most likely pharyngitis etiology.

Target audience

This activity is designed for physicians, lab supervisors, lab directors (and/or assistant directors), lab managers (supervisory and/or non-supervisory), medical technologists, point-of-care coordinators, and other laboratory professionals overseeing/conducting within this topic.

Learning objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Define the etiologies of pharyngitis include viral, bacterial, fungal organisms, trauma, medication side effects, allergens, and irritants.
• Analyze the serious and life-threatening complications that can develop when bacterial (especially GAS) pharyngitis infections are not appropriately and promptly treated.
• Discuss the history-taking and skilled physical examination along with the utilization of clinical decision tools such as Centor criteria, McIsaac, and Fever-PAIN coupled with appropriate testing that can help clinicians ascertain the appropriate treatment and avoid prescribing unnecessary antibiotics which can lead to adverse events and antibiotic resistance.
• Review how recurrent or persistent cases of pharyngitis are most commonly caused by treatment regimen nonadherence or misdiagnosis.

Faculty

Allison Holley, MD
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine
Florida Atlantic University College of Medicine
Boca Raton, FL

Disclosures and statement of independence

The Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (formerly AACC) is dedicated to ensuring balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all educational activities. All participating planning committee members and faculty are required to disclose to the program audience any financial relationships related to the subject matter of this program. Disclosure information is reviewed in advance in order to manage and resolve any possible conflicts of interest. The intent of this disclosure is to provide participants with information on which they can make their own judgments.

The following faculty reported no financial relationships:

• Allison Holley, MD

Content validity

All recommendations involving clinical medicine are based on evidence accepted within the profession of medicine as adequate justification for their indications and contraindications in the care of patients; AND/OR all scientific research referred to or reported in support or justification of a patient care recommendation conforms to generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis.

Accreditation statement

This activity will be submitted for 1.0 ACCENT continuing education credit.

Successful completion statement

Verification of Participation certificates are provided to registered participants based on completion of the activity, in its entirety, and the activity evaluation. For questions regarding continuing education, please email [email protected].