2062. Improving Antibiotic Prescribing in the Ambulatory Care Setting—Stewardship through Influenza Vaccination, US Flu VE Network 2013–2014 Through 2017–2018

BACKGROUND: Improving antibiotic use is a key strategy to combat antibiotic resistance and improve patient safety. Acute respiratory illness (ARI) is a common cause of outpatient visits and accounts for ~41% of antibiotics used in the United States. We sought to determine the proportion of antibiotic prescriptions (Rx) prescribed among outpatients with ARI that can be potentially averted through influenza vaccination. METHODS: From 2013–2014 through 2017–2018 influenza seasons, we enrolled patients aged ≥6 months with ARI in the US Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness (VE) Network of >50 outpatient clinics. Antibiotic Rx and diagnosis codes were collected from medical records. Study influenza test results were not available to treating clinicians at most sites, and clinical influenza testing was infrequently performed (a), prevalence of influenza among unvaccinated ARI patients (b), prevalence of antibiotic Rx among unvaccinated influenza-positive ARI patients (c) and prevalence of antibiotic Rx among ARI patients overall (d), we derived estimates of the proportion of ARI antibiotic Rx that can be averted by influenza vaccination [(a × b × c)/d]. RESULTS: Among 37487 outpatients with ARI, 13,316 (36%) were prescribed an antibiotic and 9,689 (26%) tested positive for influenza. Of those positive, 2,496 (26%) were prescribed an antibiotic. Adjusted VE against influenza-associated ARI was 35% (95% confidence interval (CI), 32 to 39). Among unvaccinated patients with ARI, 30% were influenza-positive and 24% received antibiotics. Based on these estimates, we determined that influenza vaccination may prevent 10.6% of all ARI syndromes and may avert 1 in 14 or 7.3% of antibiotic Rx among ARI patients. CONCLUSION: By preventing influenza-associated ARI syndromes, influenza vaccination may substantially reduce antibiotic prescribing. Increasing influenza vaccine coverage and improving protection may facilitate national goals to improve antibiotic use and reduce the global threat of antibiotic resistance. [Image: see text] DISCLOSURES: All authors: No reported disclosures.