Chronic dermatomycoses of the foot as risk factors for acute bacterial cellulitis of the leg: a case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the role of foot dermatomycosis (tinea pedis and onychomycosis) and other candidate risk factors in the development of acute bacterial cellulitis of the leg.


METHODS
A case-control study, including 243 patients (cases) with acute bacterial cellulitis of the leg and 467 controls, 2 per case, individually matched for gender, age (+/-5 years), hospital and admission date (+/-2 months).


RESULTS
Overall, mycology-proven foot dermatomycosis was a significant risk factor for acute bacterial cellulitis (odds ratio, OR: 2.4; p < 0.001), as were tinea pedis interdigitalis (OR: 3.2; p < 0.001), tinea pedis plantaris (OR: 1.7; p = 0.005) and onychomycosis (OR: 2.2; p < 0.001) individually. Other risk factors included: disruption of the cutaneous barrier, history of bacterial cellulitis, chronic venous insufficiency and leg oedema.


CONCLUSIONS
Tinea pedis and onychomycosis were found to be significant risk factors for acute bacterial cellulitis of the leg that are readily amenable to treatment with effective pharmacological therapy.
Roujeau
Jean-Claude
JC
Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Henri-Mondor, Créteil, France. jean-claude.roujeau@hmn.ap-hop-paris.fr
Sigurgeirsson
Bardur
B
Korting
Hans-Christian
HC
Kerl
Helmut
H
Paul
Carle
C
D000208:Acute Disease; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D014009:Onychomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014008:Tinea Pedis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*