Comparative analysis of healthcare resource utilization: necrotizing soft tissue infections versus burn injuries

Necrotising soft tissue infections (NSTI) and burn injuries pose substantial challenges in clinical management, necessitating multidisciplinary approaches. This study compares outcomes between NSTI and burn patients, emphasising the resource disparity.

93 NSTI patients admitted between January 2014 and December 2021 were matched with burns patients by total body surface area (TBSA), gender, and age. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) is a score utilised to predict mortality. Length of stay in hospital, length of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and disposition were also collected.

Our study shows higher APACHE II scores in NSTI patients (median 24 vs. 6 in burns), leading to elevated post-operative mortality (30% vs. 3% in burns) and non-operative mortality (40% vs. 8% in burns). NSTI patients had longer hospital stays and more required transfers to other facilities such as rehabilitation centres compared to burns.

These findings highlight the substantial resource demands of managing NSTI patients, underscoring the urgent need for additional funding and optimised resource allocation to improve outcomes in this population. Level of Evidence: Level III, risk/prognostic study