title: Pattern and predictors of mortality in necrotizing fasciitis patients in a single tertiary hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a fatal aggressive infectious disease. We aimed to assess the major contributing factors of mortality in NF patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted at a single surgical intensive care unit between 2000 and 2013. Patients were categorized into 2 groups based on their in-hospital outcome (survivors versus non-survivors).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a14-year period, 331 NF patients were admitted with a mean age of 50.8 ± 15.4 years and 74 % of them were males Non-survivors (26 %) were 14.5 years older (p = 0.001) and had lower frequency of pain (p = 0.01) and fever (p = 0.001) than survivors (74 %) at hospital presentation. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease were more prevalent among non-survivors (p = 0.001). The 2 groups were comparable for the site of infection; except for sacral region that was more involved in non-survivors (p = 0.005). On admission, non-survivors had lower hemoglobin levels (p = 0.001), platelet count (p = 0.02), blood glucose levels (p = 0.07) and had higher serum creatinine (p = 0.001). Non-survivors had greater median LRINEC (Laboratory Risk Indicator for NECrotizing fasciitis score) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores (p = 0.001). Polybacterial and monobacterial gram negative infections were more evident in non-survivors group. Monobacterial pseudomonas (p = 0.01) and proteus infections (p = 0.005) were reported more among non-survivors. The overall mortality was 26 % and the major causes of death were bacteremia, septic shock and multiorgan failure. Multivariate analysis showed that age and SOFA score were independent predictors of mortality in the entire study population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mortality rate is quite high as one quarter of NF patients died during hospitalization. The present study highlights the clinical and laboratory characteristics and predictors of mortality in NF patients.
authors: Department of Surgery, Hamad General Hospital (HGH), Doha, Qatar.
authors: Gaby
authors: G
authors: Jabbour
authors: Clinical Research, Trauma Surgery, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar ; Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical School, Doha, Qatar.
authors: Ayman
authors: 0000-0003-2584-953X
authors: A
authors: El-Menyar
authors: Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
authors: Ruben
authors: R
authors: Peralta
authors: Surgical Intensive Care Unit, HGH, Doha, Qatar.
authors: Nissar
authors: N
authors: Shaikh
authors: Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
authors: Husham
authors: H
authors: Abdelrahman
authors: Surgical Intensive Care Unit, HGH, Doha, Qatar.
authors: Insolvisagan Natesa
authors: IN
authors: Mudali
authors: Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
authors: Mohamed
authors: M
authors: Ellabib
authors: Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
authors: Hassan
authors: H
authors: Al-Thani
keywords: Management; Mortality; Necrotizing fasciitis; Predisposing factors; Presentation