Table 2.
A systematic review of all original articles included.
| Author | Year | Type | No. Patients | Mean Age | Therapy | Events | Comorbidities | Risk Factors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jolly | 2002 [36] | Randomized multicenter trial | 341 | 80 ± 11 | TCP Oral CS |
1 necrotizing Cellulitis in oral CS group |
Cardiovascular disease Neurologic disorder DementiaDiabetes mellitus Chronic lung condition | Oral corticosteroid therapy Low Karnofsky score Old age |
| Boughrara | 2010 [30] | Retrospective | 30 | 83.5 | TCP MTX MMF |
3 NF/10 SSTI | Diabetes Autoimmune diseases |
/ |
| Lehman | 2013 [37] | Retrospective | 54 | 75.8 | TCP Oral CS Cyclosporin MTX MMF Dapsone Rituximab Azathioprine |
43 SSTI’s | Diabetes Solid organ cancer/treatment Other autoimmune disorders |
Oral corticosteroid therapy |
| Cai | 2014 [38] | Retrospective | 359 | 75.7 ± 2.6 | Corticosteroids (88%), Doxycycline and/or nicotinamide (25.9%), Dapsone (13.9%) Azathioprine (39%), Combination therapy of corticosteroids and IMA 37.6% |
5 SSTI related causes of death | Heart failure Chronic renal disease Parkinson disease Stroke |
Concomitant neurologic disease Heart failure Parkinson disease |
| Phoon | 2015 [39] | Retrospective | 97 | 79 ± 11 | Prednisolone + adjuvant therapy in 53% of patients: dapsone 17% doxycycline and nicotinamide 34% azathioprine 3% MMF 6% |
7 SSTI’s | Hypertension Neurologic disorders Diabetes |
Low Karnofsky score, dementia, higher CCIS |
| Ren | 2018 [40] |
Retrospective | 13,342 | 77.3 | / | BP was associated with higher odds of necrotizing fasciitis, adjusted OR (95% CI) 2.91 (1.25–6.80), p = 0.0136 | Rheumatoid arthritis Systemic lupus erythematosus Diabetes Cushing’s Cancer |
Older age Higher number of chronic condition Diabetes Cushing’s Cancer |
| Chen | 2020 [41] | Retrospective | 252 | 67.2 | Corticosteroids 74.6% Other immunosuppressants 52.0% IVIG 3.6% |
40 SSTI’s | Diabetes, Mucosal involvement Respiratory comorbidities |
Maximal control dose of corticosteroids, Low serum albumin levels, Hospitalization, Diabetes |
TCP—topical clobetasol propionate, CS—corticosteroids, MTX—methotrexate, MMF—Mofetil mycophenolate, NF—necrotizing fasciitis, SSTI—skin and soft tissue infection, IMA—immunomodulatory agents, CCIS—Charlson Comorbidity Index Score, IVIG—intravenous immunoglobulins.