Microbiological analysis and antibiotic selection strategy in neck abscesses among patients with diabetes mellitus

This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics, pathogen distribution, drug sensitivity, and antibiotic treatment strategies of patients with neck abscesses with or without diabetes.

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 2194 patients who underwent neck abscess surgery at our hospital over the past 13 years. Patients were grouped as NA_withDM (neck abscess with diabetes mellitus) or NA_withoutDM (neck abscess without diabetes mellitus). Clinical features, pathogen distribution, and antibiotic sensitivity were compared between the groups. Venn diagrams were used to illustrate the antibiotics effective against all three predominant pathogens.

A total of 2194 patients with neck abscesses were included in this study, with 579 patients (26.43%) in the NA_withDM group and 1612 patients (73.51%) in the NA_withoutDM group. There were no significant differences in sex or age distribution between the two groups (all P > 0.05). However, there were significant differences in BMI, length of hospital stays, occurrence of laryngeal obstruction, hypertension, and hypoalbuminemia between the two groups (all P < 0.05). In the NA_withoutDM group, the top three pathogens were Streptococcus constellatus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus. The antibiotics that were simultaneously effective against all three pathogens were ceftriaxone, moxifloxacin, and ampicillin/sulbactam. In the NA_withDM group, the top three pathogens were Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Streptococcus constellatus. The antibiotics that were simultaneously effective against all three pathogens were compound sulfamethoxazole, cefuroxime, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, vancomycin, and imipenem.

Neck abscess patients with diabetes have distinct clinical features. Therefore, it is crucial to pay attention to these clinical features and manage them accordingly during the treatment process. Empirical antibiotic treatment should be tailored to individual patient groups. Sulfamethoxazole-methoxazole is recommended for neck abscess patients with diabetes, while ceftriaxone or moxifloxacin is recommended for those without diabetes.