Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of N = 66 emergency department patients with cellulitis
| Baseline characteristic | Cephalexin 500 mg plus placebo | Cephalexin 1000 mg |
|---|---|---|
| N = 33 (50.0%) | N = 33 (50.0%) | |
| Hospital site, n (%) | ||
| TOH Civic campus | 12 (36.4%) | 15 (45.5%) |
| TOH General campus | 21 (63.6%) | 18 (54.5%) |
| Age (years), median (IQR) | 57 (40–69) | 56 (34–71) |
| Female sex, n (%) | 13 (39.4%) | 13 (39.4%) |
| Body Mass Index (kg/m2), median (IQR) | 27.9 (23.4–31.6) | 30.4 (24.4–36.8) |
| Comorbidities, n (%) | ||
| Obesity | 12 (36.4%) | 18 (54.5%) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 2 (6.1%) | 8 (24.2%) |
| Prior cellulitis in the past 12 months | 4 (12.1%) | 2 (6.1%) |
| Chronic kidney disease | 1 (3.0%) | 3 (9.1%) |
| Congestive heart failure | 1 (3.0%) | 3 (9.1%) |
| Coronary artery disease | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (6.1%) |
| Injection drug use | 1 (3.0%) | 1 (3.0%) |
| Chronic venous insufficiency | 1 (3.0%) | 0 (0.0%) |
| HIV | 1 (3.0%) | 0 (0.0%) |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (3.0%) |
| Corticosteroids | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) |
| Lymphedema/venous stasis | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) |
| History of MRSA infection or colonization | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) |
| Infection characteristics, n (%) | ||
| Location | ||
| Lower limb | 20 (60.6%) | 19 (57.6%) |
| Upper limb | 7 (21.2%) | 7 (21.2%) |
| Face | 4 (12.1%) | 3 (9.1%) |
| Torso | 2 (6.1%) | 2 (6.1%) |
| Groin | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (6.1%) |
| Axilla | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) |
| Chronic ulcers at site | 3 (9.1%) | 0 (0.0%) |
| Area of erythema (cm2), median (IQR) | 168 (81–512) | 162 (50–240) |
| Baseline pain (NRS 0–10), median (IQR) | 4 (2–7) | 5 (3–8) |
| Triage vital signs, median (IQR) | ||
| Temperature (°C) | 36.7 (36.5–36.9) | 36.6 (36.0–37.0) |
| Heart rate (beats/min) | 83 (70–93) | 90 (77–97) |
| Respiratory rate (breaths/min) | 16 (16–18) | 18 (16–18) |
| Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 137.5 (127–153) | 134 (123–147) |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 82 (73–92) | 82 (73–88) |
| Laboratory tests, median (IQR) | ||
| WBC count (× 109/L) | 6.9 (5.2–7.3) | 8.7 (7.8–10.9) |
| Serum creatinine (μmol/L) | 65 (52–97) | 78 (64–108) |
TOH The Ottawa Hospital, IQR interquartile range, HIV human immunodeficiency virus, MRSA methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, NRS numeric rating scale