ABSTRACT
Background: Cellulitis is an inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, usually resulting from microbial invasion. It may occur as a result of tissue injury. The mainstay of treatment includes antibiotic therapy based on the susceptibility and severity of infection. The aim of the study is to evaluate various antibiotics used in the treatment of cellulitis at a tertiary care hospital.Methods: Participants were patients referred by Dermatologists, General surgeons with acute and complicated cellulitis. Demographic data, Clinical and biochemical data were analyzed at admission. Then the time taken for improvement of symptoms and length of stay were analyzed.Results: A total of 58 patients were included in the study of which 38(65.5%) patients were male and 20(34.4%) patients were female. Patients having comorbid conditions were found to be having higher length of stay (mean±SD-13.7±3.6 days), severity of infection and antibiotic therapy. Patients with diabetes(mean±SD-16.8±4days) have higher length of stay and slow wound healing. Patients with left leg cellulitis 32(55%) were higher than the right leg cellulitis 17(29%). The reason behind this remains undetermined, which highlights scope for future research in this region.Conclusions: Management of patients was done with mono or dual/combination antibiotic therapy or surgical treatment was done based on clinical response. According to our study patients with co-morbidities especially Diabetes have slow prognosis of cellulitis as they required longer length of stay in a hospital and prolonged treatment. Rational clinical decision on the use of various antibiotics shall be implemented based on evidence-based methods such as iv-to-po shift, regular evaluation of clinical response and stepping down to a narrow-spectrum to reduce the length of stay which can improve the paradigm and the positive clinical response for the management of cellulitis.