Research ArticleOriginal Article
Open Access

Skin and soft tissue infections in hospitalized cancer patients

A retrospective study

Huda M. Al-Mutairi, Oluwaseun Egunsola, Afaf Almutairi, Salha M. Al-Dossary, Rana S. Alshammasi, Dalal S. Al-Dossari and Sheraz Ali
Saudi Medical Journal December 2021, 42 (12) 1333-1340; DOI: https://doi.org/10.15537/smj.2021.42.12.20210624

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Tables

  • Table 1

    - United States Food and Drug Administration classifications of skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs).4

    Classifications
    Types of SSTIs
    Complicated SSTIs
    Uncomplicated SSTIs
    Conditions for classifying patients with SSTIs
    Clinical condition of the patient
    Anatomical extension
    Characteristics of the infection
    Purulent SSTIs or not purulent SSTIs
    Necrotizing SSTIs or non-necrotizing SSTIs
  • Table 2

    - Patients’ characteristics.

    Variablesn (%)
    Female128 (62.7)
    Mean age49.9 (19.2)
    Mean weight61.7 (10.2)
    Mean body mass index24 (4.2)
    SSTI
    Exit site infection84 (41.2)
    Wound infection72 (35.3)
    Cellulitis44 (21.5)
    Abscess4 (2.0)
    Presence of fever163 (80.0)
    Previous invasive procedures159 (77.9)
    Recent chemotherapy155 (76)
    Diabetes54 (26.5)
    Recent radiotherapy21 (10.3)
    Previous transfusion20 (9.8)
    Appropriate antibiotics prescribed150 (73.5)
    Antibiotics for culture negative infections (n=72)
    Piperacillin/tazobactam52 (72.2)
    Ceftriaxone6 (8.3)
    Vancomycin5 (6.9)
    Cefuroxime5 (6.9)
    Diabetes after chemotherapy
    No133 (65%)
    Yes71 (35%)
    Activity of chemotherapy
    Antimicotubules45 (32.4)
    Alkylating agents/antimicotubules18 (12.9)
    Antimetabolites14 (10.1)
    Antimetabolites/alkylating/antimicotubules13 (9.4)
    Antimicotubules/H2R12 (8.6)
    Others*37 (26.6)
    Types of chemotherapy
    Paclitaxel27 (18.9)
    Docetaxel21 (14.7)
    CHOP15 (10.5)
    FOLFOX13 (9.1)
    Paclitaxel/carboplatin10 (7.0)
    Others†57 (39.9)
    Frequency of chemotherapy
    Weekly51 (37.0)
    Every 2 weeks46 (33.3)
    Every 3 weeks40 (29.0)
    Monthly1 (0.7)
    Duration of chemotherapy
    8 cycles22 (15.8)
    6 cycles15 (10.8)
    18 cycles12 (8.6)
    16 cycles11 (7.9)
    4 cycles9 (6.5)
    10 cycles9 (6.5)
    20 cycles8 (5.8)
    Other cycles§53 (38.1)

    • ↵* n=9 (Antimicotubules/Alkylating agents, Antimetabolites/Alkylating); n=6 (alkylating agents); n=2 (Topoisomerase II inhibitor/Alkylating agents, Topoisomerase I inhibitor, Antimetabolites/Topoisomerase I Inhibitor, Antimetabolites/Alkylating/Topoisomerase I inhibitor); n=1 (Antimetabolites/Alkylating agents, Antimetabolites/Alkylating/antibiotics/antimicotubules, antibiotics agents, antimetabolites/Alkylating/antibiotics, Antimetabolites/antibiotics),

    • ↵† Capecitapine/oxaliplatin, paclitaxel/Trastusumab, IM methotrexate, cisplatin/paclitaxel, gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, FOLFIRI, irinotecan, docetaxel/trastuzumab, paclitaxel/FAC, paclitaxel/FEC, vinorelibine, PEB, methotrexate/doxorubicin, liposomal doxorubicin, paclitaxel/cisplatin, FOLFORINEX, FLOT, carboplatin, temozolomide, etoposide/carboplatin, FOLRINIX, FAC,

    • ↵§ n=6 (12 cycles, 5 cycles); n=5 (7 cycles, 9 cycles, 13 cycles); n=4 (14 cycles, 21 cycles); n=5 (11 cycles, 22 cycles, 24 cycles); n=2 (3 cycles, 23 cycles); n=1 (4 cycles, 15 cycles, 17 cycles, 25 cycles, 28 cycles), CHOP: cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, oncovin, prednisone, FOLFOX: folinic acid, fluorouracil, oxaliplatin

  • Table 3

    - A comparison with the total number of patients with a specific tumour further classified by the type of SSTIs.

    Underlying malignancyOverall N=204*Abscess, n=4†Cellulitis, n=44†Exist site infection, n=84†Wound infection, n=72†
    n (%)
    Adenocarcinoma3 (1.5)0 (0.0)1 (33.3)0 (0.0)2 (66.7)
    Brain tumor2 (1.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)2 (100)0 (0)
    Breast cancer78 (38)2 (3)14 (18.0)33 (42.0)29 (37.0)
    Cervical cancer1 (0.5)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)1 (100)0 (0.0)
    Cholangiocarcinoma2 (1.0)0 (0.0)0 (0)2 (100)0 (0.0)
    Choriocarcinoma1 (0.5)0 (0.0)1 (100)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)
    Colon cancer29 (14)0 (0.0)9 (31)12 (41.0)8 (28.0)
    Rectal cancer4 (2.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)2 (50.0)2 (50.0)
    Endometrial carcinoma1 (0.5)0 (0.0)1 (100)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)
    Gastric cancer3 (1.5)0 (0.0)1 (33.3)2 (66.7)0 (0.0)
    Gestational trophoblastic neoplasm4 (2.0)0 (0.0)1 (25.0)3 (75)0 (0.0)
    Head and neck cancer1 (0.5)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)1 (100)0 (0.0)
    Hepatocellular carcinoma4 (2.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)4 (100)
    Hodgkin lymphoma5 (2.5)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)5 (100)
    Leiomyosarcoma1 (0.5)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)1 (100)
    Liver cancer5 (2.5)0 (0.0)3 (60)0 (0.0)2 (40.0)
    Lung cancer6 (2.9)0 (0.0)2 (33)3 (50.0)1 (17.0)
    Lymphoma17 (8.3)1 (6.0)2 (12)9 (53.0)5 (29.0)
    Malignant neoplasia of cervix1 (0.5)0 (0.0)1 (100)0 (0)0 (0.0)
    Neuroendocrine tumour1 (0.5)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0)1 (100)
    Oesophageal cancer3 (1.5)1 (33.3)0 (0.0)1 (33.3)1 (33.3)
    Ovarian cancer13 (6.4)0 (0.0)2 (15.0)4 (31)7 (54.0)
    Pancreatic cancer11 (5.4)0 (0.0)4 (36.0)5 (45.0)2 (18.0)
    Prostate cancer1 (0.5)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)1 (100)
    Rectal carcinoma2 (1.0)0 (0.0)1 (50.0)0 (0.0)1 (50)
    Seminoma4 (2.0)0 (0.0)1 (25.0)3 (75.0)0 (0.0)
    Spindle cell sarcoma1 (0.5)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)1 (100)0 (0.0)

    • ↵* n (%): Patients with specific malignancy/total malignancy,

    • ↵† n (%): Patients with specific malignancy/total malignancy, SSTI: soft-tissue infections

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