[Bacteremia in patients hospitalized with cellulitis].
Cellulitis is an acute inflammation of dermis and subcutaneous tissue, usually complicating wounds, ulcers, or dermatosis. Even though in these cases it is recommended to perform culture from skin and soft tissue samples, the utility of blood cultures remains controversial due to the low frequency of positive results. Here we report the prevalence of bacteremia in patients with cellulitis admitted in our Hospital, and evaluate the presence of risk factors associated with the occurrence of this event. Clinical records of patients with diagnosis of cellulitis admitted between June 2007 and March 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients without skin and soft tissue culture and/or blood cultures were excluded. Demographic data, presence of comorbidities, and culture results were analyzed. In this period, 140 patients were admitted with this diagnosis. Fifty six (40%) of them had positive skin and soft tissue cultures; where methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was the most frequently isolated bacterium species (35.7%). Bacteremia was detected in 8.6% of these cases, where the most frequently isolated bacteria were Group G Beta haemolytic Streptococcus (33%). Bacteremia was significantly associated with longer hospital stay (10.5 ± 8.98 vs. 4.9 ± 6, p = 0.004). The following variables were significantly associated with the occurrence of positive blood cultures: diabetes (41.7% vs. 14.1%; p = 0.02; OR 4.4), positive skin and soft tissue culture (75% vs. 35.2%; p = 0.01; OR 5.5), alcoholism (16.7% vs. 3.9%; p = 0.01; OR 4.9), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (16.7% vs. 0.78%; p = 0.01; OR 25.4).
Servicio de Clínica Médica, Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires 1280 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Juan S
JS
Lasa
María L
ML
Fernández Recalde
Bárbara C
BC
Finn
Julio E
JE
Bruetman
José
J
Peroni
Pablo
P
Young
D000368:Aged; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae; D055815:Young Adult