Table 2. Baseline Characteristics of Participants With Cellulitis Treated With Cephalexin Plus Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole or Cephalexin Plus Placebo in the Per-Protocol Populationa.
| Characteristics | Cephalexin Plus Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (n = 218) |
Cephalexin Plus Placebo (n = 193) |
|---|---|---|
| Age, median (IQR) [range], yb | 39 (29-49) [15-74] | 41 (28-49) [15-78] |
| Male | 137 (62.8) | 103 (53.4) |
| Race | ||
| White | 123 (56.4) | 111 (57.5) |
| Black | 75 (34.4) | 68 (35.2) |
| Asian | 2 (0.9) | 2 (1.0) |
| Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0 | 0 |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 2 (0.9) | 0 |
| Multiracial | 7 (3.2) | 8 (4.1) |
| Other/unknown | 9 (4.1) | 4 (2.1) |
| Hispanic ethnicity | 75 (34.4) | 60 (31.1) |
| Symptom duration, median (IQR), d | 3.0 (2.0-4.0) | 3.0 (2.0-4.0) |
| History of fever in the week prior to enrollment | 46 (21.1) | 35 (18.1) |
| Comorbidities | ||
| Diabetes | 25 (11.5) | 20 (10.4) |
| History of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection | 9 (4.1) | 7 (3.6) |
| Eczema or other chronic skin condition | 7 (3.2) | 11 (5.7) |
| Chronic peripheral edema | 6 (2.8) | 5 (2.6) |
| History of antibiotic treatment for current skin and soft tissue infection | 0 | 2 (1.0) |
| Close household contact with similar infectionc | 10 (4.6) | 12 (6.2) |
| Cellulitis location | ||
| Head or neck | 19 (8.7) | 9 (4.7) |
| Trunk, abdomen, or back | 17 (7.8) | 19 (9.8) |
| Groin or buttocks | 7 (3.2) | 8 (4.1) |
| Upper extremity | 52 (23.9) | 50 (25.9) |
| Lower extremity | 123 (56.4) | 107 (55.4) |
| Erythema dimension, median (IQR) [range], cm |
||
| Lengthd | 13.0 (8.0-22.0) [3.0-59.0] | 12.5 (8.2-18.0) [2.0-63.0] |
| Width | 9.6 (6.0-16.0) [1.0-50.0] | 10.0 (6.0-14.5) [2.0-65.0] |
| Areae | 102.1 (41.2-274.9) [2.4-1946.2] | 99.4 (37.7-188.5) [3.1-3216.2] |
| Area of erythema >75 cm2e | 131 (60.1) | 112 (58.0) |
| Dimensions of swelling/induration, median (IQR) [range], cm | ||
| Lengthd | 8.0 (4.5-15.0) [1.0-55.0] | 8.0 (4.5-14.0) [0.5-51.0] |
| Width | 6.0 (4.0-12.0) [1.0-50.0] | 6.0 (3.5-10.0) [0.5-47.0] |
| Areae | 42.4 (14.1-150.8) [1.2-1693.3] | 42.4 (12.6-117.4) [0.2-1762.4] |
| Temperature >38°C (>100.4°F) at baseline | 3 (1.4) | 2 (1.0) |
Abbreviation: IQR, interquartile range.
a
Data are expressed as No. (%) of participants unless otherwise indicated.
b
Three participants (0.7%) were aged 13 to 17 years.
c
Close household contact with someone with similar skin infection in last month.
d
Length was defined as the maximal dimension.
e
Areas of erythema and induration/swelling were calculated using formula for an ellipse (1/4 × π × length × width).