Antimicrobial treatment decision for non-purulent skin and soft tissue infections in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVES: We surveyed Canadian emergency physicians to determine how skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are managed and which risk factors were felt to be important in predicting failure with oral antibiotics.

METHODS: We performed an electronic survey of physician members of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) using the modified Dillman method.

RESULTS: The survey response rate was 36.9% (n=391) amongst CAEP members. There was a lack of consensus regarding management of SSTIs. CAEP respondents identified 14 risk factors for predicting treatment failure with oral antibiotics, including hypotension, tachypnea, and patient reported severity of pain >8 of 10.

CONCLUSIONS: The survey demonstrates significant variability regarding physician management of SSTIs, and we have identified several perceived risk factors for treatment failure with oral antibiotics that should be assessed in future studies.