Necrotizing soft tissue infection: clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and management of 32 cases in Beijing

OBJECTIVE: Necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) is a rare but life-threatening bacterial infection. This study was performed to analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with NSTI admitted to the intensive care unit of a trauma and burn center in Beijing and to summarize the treatment experience. METHODS: This retrospective study involved patients with NSTI admitted to the intensive care unit from January 2010 to January 2020. The clinical manifestations, pathogens, laboratory test results, and prognosis were compared between survivors and nonsurvivors. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were enrolled (28 men, 4 women), including 25 (78.1%) survivors and 7 (21.9%) nonsurvivors. The patients’ median age was 41.5 years (range, 30.0–52.5 years). Mortality was significantly higher in patients with a blood urea nitrogen concentration of ≥11.5 mg/dL, creatinine concentration of <3.4 mg/dL, prothrombin time of ≥15.9 s, and international normalized ratio of ≥1.3. Streptococcus pyogenes and Clostridium perfringens infections were associated with higher mortality. CONCLUSIONS: More attention should be given to elderly patients and those with hyponatremia, coagulation disorder, and higher blood urea nitrogen or creatinine concentrations. The finding of large gram-positive rods or large numbers of gram-positive cocci in wound secretion smears is a helpful early warning sign of highly lethal NSTI.