title: Burden of facial cellulitis: estimates from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Multitude of maxillofacial infections from odontogenic and nonodontogenic origins can progress to facial cellulitis, which may require an emergency department (ED) visit for appropriate care. The aim of this study was to investigate national prevalence of ED visits attributed primarily to facial cellulitis, to quantify the associated hospital charges, and to identify a cohort of population presenting to the ED with facial cellulitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) for the year 2007, a component database of the health care cost and utilization project was used for this study. All ED visits that had a primary diagnosis of facial cellulitis (ICD-9-CM code 682.0) were selected for analysis. All estimates were projected to national levels using the discharge weight variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2007, a total of 302,507 ED visits were attributed primarily to facial cellulitis in the USA. The average age of the patients was 35.0 years. The mean hospital charge for each ED visit was $1,024, with a total charge of $241,541,694. A total of 17.8% of ED visits were admitted into the same hospital for inpatient care, and 78.5% of ED visits were discharged routinely; 67.6% of ED visits occurred on weekdays. Private insurance payers comprised the largest proportion (31.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the prevalence of hospital-based ED visits primarily due to facial cellulitis in the USA in year 2007, its significant associated hospital resource utilization for treatment, and characteristics of the patient population who are likely to visit a hospital-based ED for treatment of facial cellulitis.
authors.affiliation: Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA. minkyeong_kim@hsdm.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Min Kyeong
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Veeratrishul
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Allareddy
authors.forename: Romesh P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Nalliah
authors.forename: Ji Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Veerasathpurush
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Allareddy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005145:Face; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007571:Jaw Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006278:Medicare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D013997:Time Factors; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult