title: Is hemoglobin A1c level effective in predicting the prognosis of Fournier gangrene?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of immune failure and/or diabetes mellitus (DM) association on the mortality and morbidity of the Fournier's Gangrene (FG), and interrelatedly, the usability of HbA1c level in the prediction of prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data of 38 patients with the diagnosis of FG were investigated retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups as patients with DM (Group 1, n = 18) and non-diabetics (Group 2, n = 20). The patients in group 1 were also divided into two subgroups as patients with HbA1c value ≥7 (Group 1a) and HbA1c value <7 (Group 1b).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of all 38 male patients was 66.3 ± 6.4 years. The initial symptoms were scrotal rash and swelling (n = 20, 52.6%), high fever (>38°C) (n = 22, 57.8%), purulent discharge from genital or perineal areas (n = 13, 34.2%), skin bruises (n = 11, 28.9%) and general state disorder in five patients that were admitted from day care center (13.1%). DM, as the most often comorbid disease, was detected in 18 patients (47.3%). Six patients (15.7%) were deceased during the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, the researchers determined that diabetic patients with HbA1c level of 7 or higher had worse prognosis, and increased mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Haluk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bayrak
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sakip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erturhan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ersin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borazan
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa Nihat
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Koc
keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Fourniere's gangrene; hemoglobin A1c