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Improvement of a Clinical Score for Necrotizing Fasciitis: 'Pain Out of Proportion' and High CRP Levels Aid the Diagnosis.

ABSTRACT: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare mono-/polymicrobial skin infection that spreads to underlying tissues. NF is quickly progressing and leads to life threatening situations. Immediate surgical debridement together with i.v. antibiotic administration is required to avoid fatal outcome. Early diagnosis is often delayed due to underestimation or confusion with cellulitis. We now compared the initial clinical and laboratory presentation of NF and cellulitis in detail to assess if a typical pattern can be identified that aids timely diagnosis of NF and avoidance of fatal outcome. 138 different clinical and laboratory features of 29 NF patients were compared to those of 59 age- and gender matched patients with severe erysipelas requiring a subsequent hospitalization time of ≥10 days. Differences in clinical presentation were not obvious; however, NF patients suffered significantly more often from strong pain. NF patients exhibited dramatically elevated CRP levels (5-fold, p>0.001). The overall laboratory risk indicator for necrotizing fasciitis (LRINEC) score was significantly higher in NF patients as compared to cellulitis. However, a modification of the score (alteration of laboratory parameters, addition of clinical parameters) led to a clear improvement of the score with a higher positive predictive value without losing specificity. In summary, clinical differentiation of NF from cellulitis appears to be hard. 'Pain out of proportion' may be an early sign for NF. An improvement of the LRINEC score emphasizing only relevant laboratory and clinical findings as suggested may aid the early diagnosis of NF in the future leading to improvement of disease outcome by enabling rapid adequate therapy.

SUBMITTER: Borschitz T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4511009 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:ObjectivesThe Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis score was developed as a clinical decision tool for distinguishing necrotizing fasciitis from other soft tissue infections. We prospectively evaluated the performance of the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis score for the diagnosis of patients with necrotizing fasciitis in the extremities.MethodsWe conducted a prospective and observational cohort study of emergency department patients with necrotizing fasciitis or severe cellulitis in the extremities between April 2015 and December 2016. The Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis score was calculated for every enrolled patient. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of cut-off scores of 6 and 8 were evaluated. The accuracy of the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis score was expressed as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.ResultsA total of 106 patients with necrotizing fasciitis and 825 patients with cellulitis were included. With an Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis cut-off score ≥6, the sensitivity was 43% (95% confidence interval 34% to 53%), specificity was 83% (95% confidence interval 80% to 86%), positive predictive value was 25% (95% confidence interval 20% to 30%), and negative predictive value was 92% (95% confidence interval 91% to 93%); with an Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis cut-off score ≥8, the sensitivity was 27% (95% confidence interval 19% to 37%), specificity was 93% (95% confidence interval 91% to 94%), positive predictive value was 33% (95% confidence interval 25% to 42%), and negative predictive value was 91% (95% confidence interval 90% to 92%). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for accuracy of the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis score was 0.696 (95% CI 0.640 to 0.751).ConclusionThe Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis score may not be an accurate tool for necrotizing fasciitis risk stratification and differentiation between severe cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis in the emergency department setting based on our study.

Project description:ImportancePyoderma gangrenosum and necrotizing Sweet syndrome are diagnostically challenging variants of neutrophilic dermatosis that can clinically mimic the cutaneous and systemic features of necrotizing fasciitis. Improved characterization of these rare variants is needed, as improper diagnosis may lead to inappropriate or delayed treatment and the potential for morbidity.ObjectiveTo determine the characteristics of necrotizing neutrophilic dermatosis to improve diagnostic accuracy and distinguish from infection.Design, setting, and participantsA case series of patients with necrotizing neutrophilic dermatosis treated at 3 academic hospitals (University of California San Francisco, Oregon Health and Science University, and University of Minnesota) from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2017, was performed along with a literature review of related articles published between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 2017. Data were obtained from medical records as well as Medline and Embase databases. All patients had signs resembling necrotizing infection and had a final diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum with systemic features or necrotizing Sweet syndrome. Patients were excluded if a diagnosis other than neutrophilic dermatosis was made, if key clinical information was missing, and if reported in a non-English language.Main outcomes and measuresDescription of key characteristics of necrotizing neutrophilic dermatosis.ResultsOverall, 54 patients with necrotizing neutrophilic dermatosis were included, of which 40 had pyoderma gangrenosum with systemic features and 14 had necrotizing Sweet syndrome. Of the 54 patients, 29 (54%) were male and 25 (46%) were female, with a mean (SD) age of 51 (19) years. Skin lesions commonly occurred on the lower (19 [35%]) and upper (13 [24%]) extremities and developed after a surgical procedure (22 [41%]) or skin trauma (10 [19%]). Shock was reported in 14 patients (26%), and leukemoid reaction was seen in 15 patients (28%). Of the patients with necrotizing neutrophilic dermatosis, 51 (94%) were initially misdiagnosed as necrotizing fasciitis and subsequently received inappropriate treatment. Debridement was performed in 42 patients (78%), with a mean (SD) of 2 (2 [range, 1-12]) debridements per patient. Four amputations (7%) were performed. Forty-nine patients (91%) received antibiotics when necrotizing neutrophilic dermatosis was misdiagnosed as an infection, and 50 patients (93%) received systemic corticosteroids; all patients responded to immunosuppressants.Conclusions and relevanceA complex spectrum of clinical findings of pyoderma gangrenosum and Sweet syndrome with prominent systemic inflammation exists that defines a new subset of neutrophilic dermatoses, termed necrotizing neutrophilic dermatoses; recognizing the difference between this variant and severe infection may prevent unnecessary surgical procedures and prolonged disease morbidity associated with a misdiagnosis and may expedite appropriate medical management.

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Improvement of a Clinical Score for Necrotizing Fasciitis: 'Pain Out of Proportion' and High CRP Levels Aid the Diagnosis.

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