Table 7.
Investigations carried out in children presenting with cellulitis
| Admitted | Non-admitted | ||
| (n=206) | (n=96) | ||
| Full blood count performed, n (%) | 168 (81.6) | 5 (5.2) | p<0.001 |
| White blood cell, median (IQR) | 11.9 (8.9–15.5) | 8.56 (7.95–11.2) | |
| Elevated,* n (%) | 96 (57.1) | 1 (20.0) | |
| C reactive protein performed, n (%) | 166 (80.6) | 5 (5.2) | p<0.001 |
| C reactive protein, median (IQR) | 13.5 (5–36) | 2.6 (2.4–5.5) | |
| Elevated,* n (%) | 111 (66.9) | 2 (40.0) | |
| Blood culture performed, n (%) | 94 (45.6) | 2 (2.1) | p<0.001 |
| Organism identified, n (%) | 1 (1.1) | – | |
| Wound swab performed, n (%) | 120 (58.3) | 13 (13.5) | p<0.001 |
| Organisms identified, n (%) | 99 (82.5) | 10 (76.9) | |
| Imaging, n (%) | 123 (59.7) | 14 (14.5) | p<0.001 |
| Ultrasound scan, n (%) | 35 | 3 | |
| X-ray, n (%) | 71 | 12 | |
| CT, n (%) | 13 | – | |
| MRI, n (%) | 4 | – |
*Elevated as per laboratory reported reference range.