title: Epidemiology and Outcomes of Complicated Skin and Soft Tissue Infections among Inpatients in Southern China from 2008 to 2013.
abstract: Complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTI) are some of the most commonly treated infections in hospitals, and place heavy economic burdens on patients and society. Here we report the findings from an analysis of cSSTI based on a retrospective study which was conducted within the Chinese inpatient population. We focused our research on the analysis of the patient population, antibiotic treatment, clinical outcome and economic burden. The study population comprised 527 selected patients hospitalized between 2008 and 2013. Among the hospitalizations with microbiological diagnoses, 61.41% (n = 113) were diagnosed as infected with Gram-positive bacteria, while 46.20% (n = 85) were infected with Gram-negative bacteria. The most commonly found Gram-positive bacteria was Staphylococcus aureus (40.76%, n = 75), and the most common Gram-negative bacteria was Escherichia coli (14.13%, n = 26). About 20% of the Staphylococcus aureus were methicillin-resistant. The resistance rate of isolated Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli to penicillin was around 90%; in contrast, the resistance rate to vancomycin, linezolid or imipenem was low (<20%). A large percentage of patients were treated with cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, while vancomycin and imipenem were also included to treat drug-resistant pathogens. Over half of the hospitalizations (58.43%, n = 336) experienced treatment modifications. The cost to patients with antibiotic modifications was relatively higher than to those without. In conclusion, our study offers an analysis of the disease characteristics, microbiological diagnoses, treatment patterns and clinical outcomes of cSSTI in four hospitals in Guangdong Province, and sheds lights on the current clinical management of cSSTI in China.
authors.affiliation: Key Unit of Methodology in Clinical Research, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 111 Dade Road, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: R & D information China, AstraZeneca, 199 Liangjing Road, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China.
authors.forename: Yunqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: R & D information China, AstraZeneca, 199 Liangjing Road, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China.
authors.forename: Weiguo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Key Unit of Methodology in Clinical Research, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 111 Dade Road, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Wenwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.affiliation: R & D information China, AstraZeneca, 199 Liangjing Road, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Key Unit of Methodology in Clinical Research, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 111 Dade Road, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Zehuai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents