The Epidemiological Study, Clinical Signs, Complications, and Treatment of Cellulities in Children

Abstract

Background and Aim: Cellulite is the most common soft tissue infection in children. Children are prone to cellulite because they are more disposed to trauma, insect or animal bites, wounds, and scratches. This study aimed to determine the frequency of causes, complications, and cellulite treatment in children referred to Hazrat Masoumeh Hospital in Qom City, Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was performed on all patients admitted to Hazrat Masoumeh Hospital in Qom during 2013-2020. The study data were extracted from patients’ medical records and statistically analyzed. Results: The Mean±SD age of the patients was 42.94±38.15 months. Their male/female sex ratio was almost one. The most affected areas were the lower extremities (43%), the upper extremities (26.5%), and the face and eyes (6.6%). The most common clinical manifestations were edema (75%), redness (62%), and fever (38%). The most commonly prescribed antibiotics were ceftriaxone (47%), cloxacillin (34.7%), and clindamycin (28%). The most common underlying causes were bites (16%), trauma (10%), and previous wounds (9%). Complications were abscesses (10%) and osteomyelitis (1.6%). Their Mean±SD values of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and white blood count were 32.46±26.03 (mm/h), 24.14±23.07 (mg/dl), 12261±4587 (cell/μL), respectively. Preference was seen with Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in 80.5% of the cases. Blood culture was positive in 8% of the patients. According to the antibiogram response, the highest resistance was seen against cefazolin and then ceftriaxone, and the highest sensitivity to imipenem and ceftazidime. Conclusion: Finally, due to the limitations of retrospective research in collecting information, future research should focus on evaluating specific treatments and diagnostic methods for diseases such as cellulite in Iran. Future research can determine the prevalence of organisms involved in our country, as well as the type of appropriate treatment for all inpatients and outpatients.