Health-Related Quality of Life Is Decreased After Necrotizing Soft-Tissue Infections.

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Surgical Pathology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Necrotizing soft-tissue infection (NSTI) is a severe condition with high mortality and challenging diagnosis.
• Survivors often face extensive wounds, leading to functional deficits and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
• Understanding the long-term impact of NSTI on HRQoL is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients who have recovered from necrotizing soft-tissue infection (NSTI).
• To identify specific domains of HRQoL affected by NSTI and its sequelae.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective identification of patients treated for NSTI at a tertiary center.
• Collection of patient and treatment characteristics.
• Assessment of HRQoL using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire in survivors.

Main Results:

• Of 46 identified NSTI patients, 39 (80%) survived.
• 31 survivors completed the SF-36 questionnaire after a median follow-up of 4.1 years.
• Survivors reported significantly decreased scores in physical functioning, role-physical functioning, general health, and the Physical Component Score compared to Dutch reference values.

Conclusions:

• Necrotizing soft-tissue infection (NSTI) negatively impacts patient-reported HRQoL, especially physical domains.
• The findings highlight the long-term consequences of NSTI beyond immediate survival.
• Larger studies employing disease-specific questionnaires are needed to further elucidate HRQoL in NSTI patients.