title: Antimicrobial treatment decision for non-purulent skin and soft tissue infections in the emergency department.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We surveyed Canadian emergency physicians to determine how skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are managed and which risk factors were felt to be important in predicting failure with oral antibiotics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed an electronic survey of physician members of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) using the modified Dillman method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey response rate was 36.9% (n=391) amongst CAEP members. There was a lack of consensus regarding management of SSTIs. CAEP respondents identified 14 risk factors for predicting treatment failure with oral antibiotics, including hypotension, tachypnea, and patient reported severity of pain >8 of 10.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The survey demonstrates significant variability regarding physician management of SSTIs, and we have identified several perceived risk factors for treatment failure with oral antibiotics that should be assessed in future studies.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Emergency Medicine,University of Ottawa,Ottawa,ON.
authors.forename: Krishan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.affiliation: *Department of Emergency Medicine,University of Ottawa,Ottawa,ON.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gatien
authors.affiliation: †Department of Medicine,University of Ottawa,Ottawa,ON.
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Corrales-Medina
authors.affiliation: *Department of Emergency Medicine,University of Ottawa,Ottawa,ON.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stiell
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002170:Canada; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000379:methods; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents
keywords: antibiotics; cellulitis; intravenous; skin and soft tissue infections; treatment failure