Mortality of Necrotising Fasciitis: relative influence of individual and hospital-level factors, a Nationwide Multi-Level Study, France, 2007-2012

Abstract

Background

Necrotising soft-tissue infections (NSTI) are rare, life-threatening conditions.

Objectives

We aimed to assess whether admitting hospital characteristics were associated with NSTI mortality.

Methods

We studied the French nationwide hospital discharge database (retrospective national cohort). All patients admitted in 2007-2012 with an ICD-10 code of necrotising fasciitis were eligible. We extracted data on the patients (age, sex, ICU admission, co-morbidities) and hospitals (public vs private proprietary; for public hospitals, teaching, yes/no; and number of NSTI admissions, ≥3 NSTI cases/year, yes/no). Multivariable analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of day-28 mortality and in-hospital mortality using mixed logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively.

Results

We identified 1537 patients (915 males) with a median age of 60 (IQR, 48-75) years, admitted to 326 hospitals, public (82%) and admitting fewer than three NSTI cases/year (93%). Overall, 364 patients died (23·7%; 95%CI, 21·6-25·9). Patients treated in public teaching centres with ≥3NSTI cases annually had lower day-28 mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0·68; 95%CI, 0·46-0·99; p=0·045) and in-hospital mortality rates than patients treated in local hospitals, even after adjusting for potentially relevant individual risk factors. No significant association was found between mortality and inter-hospital transfer.

Conclusions

Our finding highlighted an increased survival in teaching centres with high NSTI volume procedures. If confirmed in other settings, these findings reinforce the importance of expertise in early diagnosis and management of this condition.

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