title: Oxacillin or cefalotin treatment of hospitalized children with cellulitis.
abstract: Cellulitis is an important cause of hospitalization in pediatrics. Because  Staphylococcus aureus is the main pathogen of cellulitis, medicinal therapeutics should take the  changing resistance profile of this organism into consideration. The aim of this study was to  evaluate the progression and outcomes of children hospitalized for cellulitis and treated with  oxacillin or cefalotin. This retrospective cohort study enrolled 218 children, hospitalized between  2001 and 2008 in Salvador, Northeast Brazil. All were diagnosed with cellulitis and treated with  oxacillin or cefalotin (≥100 mg/kg/day). The median age was 2 years and 56.9% were males.  Frequencies of signs and symptoms used in the clinical diagnoses were as follows: swelling (91.3%),  redness (81.7%), warmth (47.2%), and tenderness (31.7%). All patients were discharged due to  clinical recovery and the mean length of hospitalization was 7 ± 4 days. None of the patients died,  needed intensive care, or had sequelae. By comparing the daily frequency of clinical findings during  hospitalization, significant decreases were found in the frequencies of fever (admission day  [42.2%], first day [20.8%], second day [12.9%], third day [8.3%], fourth day [6.1%]), toxemia,  irritability, somnolence, vomiting, tachycardia, and need for intravenous hydration. In conclusion,  oxacillin or cefalotin remain the drugs of choice for treating uncomplicated cellulitis in regions  where community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus is infrequent (<10%).
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil. angelavasc@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Angela Gomes de
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Vasconcellos
authors.forename: Renata Dórea
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Anníbal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Silvany-Neto
authors.forename: Christiana Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nascimento-Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D002512:Cephalothin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010068:Oxacillin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D014115:Toxemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D002512:Cephalothin; D010068:Oxacillin