Does spinal cord injury influence the mortality rate in patients with necrotizing fasciitis?

Retrospective chart review.

This study was performed to compare the outcome, especially the mortality rate, in patients with and without spinal cord injury (SCI) and necrotizing fasciitis (NF).

Division of Spinal Cord Injury and Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil Bochum, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany.

Twenty-five patients with SCI and thirty patients without SCI treated with NF were included in the study. Mean length of hospital stay, mean age, mean laboratory risk indicator for necrotizing fasciitis (LRINEC) score, mean number of surgical debridements, co-morbidity factors and mortality rate were compared between both groups.

There were no differences for the mean LRINEC score (P=0.07), mean number of surgical debridements (P=0.18) and co-morbidities (odds ratio=2.32; 95% confidence interval =0.78-6.92) between both groups. Patients with SCI were significantly younger than patients without SCI (P=0.02). Patients without SCI had a higher mortality risk rate (n=9) than patients with SCI (n=2) (relative risk=1.71; 95% confidence interval =1.13-2.6).

In conclusion, SCI patients have a lower mortality rate than patients without SCI. Age may influence the mortality rate. Nevertheless, we believe that further unknown risk factors might influence the mortality, especially in patients with SCI.