Sales of over-the-counter remedies as an early warning system for winter bed crises

To evaluate the pattern of emergency adult medical admissions during the winter period and the usefulness of sales of over-the-counter cough/cold remedies as a predictor of these.

The databases of a single NHS trust acute unit and pharmacy outlets in its catchment area were analyzed retrospectively, comparing numbers of emergency admissions, ICD-10 discharge codes, local electronic point-of-sale (EPOS) and national sales data.

Over nine consecutive winter periods from 1992/3, peak admissions always occurred within a defined ten-day period from 29th December to 9th January. Emergency admissions increased significantly during this period (P = 0.0002). Pharmaceutical/retail data were available for three consecutive winters 1998/99, 1999/2000 and 2000/2001, none of which coincided with increased influenza activity nationally. Acute respiratory illness as defined by International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition (ICD-10) discharge coding did not appear to contribute to the increase in admissions at the peak. However, National and Local EPOS sales were positively correlated with admissions and the rate of EPOS sales exceeded an empiric threshold of 1000 units per week two weeks prior to the admissions peak in each year.

Emergency admissions over the winter period are increasing and can be expected within a period of only ten days each year. No firm relationship between acute respiratory illness and admissions could be defined but local EPOS data may give up to two weeks warning of the peak in admissions and merits further prospective evaluation.