Examining Disparities in Incidence of Cellulitis with Impact of Comorbidities on its Development: A Retrospective Observational Study

Background: Cellulitis is a rapidly disseminating bacterial illness that impacts the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. Erythema, warmth, swelling, and pain are present in the affected area. Cellulitis is clinically diagnosed by the observation of disseminating inflammation in the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue. The study intends to investigate the incidence of cellulitis across various age groups, the length of symptoms in diabetic and non-diabetic patients, and the risk of cellulitis in individuals with comorbid diseases. Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed over an 8-month duration from November 2023 to June 2024. The requisite data was obtained from the Medical Record Department. A total of 179 patients from the Vascular Department participated in the study. The data was gathered and examined using SPSS version 29.0.1.0. Results: The study enrolled a total of 179 subjects, comprising 123 males (68.7%) and 56 females (31.3%). Of the 179 patients, 109 (60.9%) were diabetic. Seventy participants (39.9%) out of 179 belonged to the predominant age group of 60-74 years (38.0%), followed by the 45-59 age group (35.2%). According to the wound classification, 161 (89.9%) were non-purulent, whereas 18 (10.1%) were purulent. Patients exhibiting symptoms for less than one week constituted 139 (77.7%), whereas 40 (22.3%) experienced symptoms for more than one week. Patients with various comorbidities included 25.7% with Hypertension, as well as those with Hypertension accompanied by coronary artery disease (CAD) and Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA). The study finds that elderly persons aged 60 to 80 years are at an elevated risk of cellulitis. Hypertension was identified as a significant risk factor for the onset of cellulitis.