Abstract:
AIMS & OBJECTIVES
To study effectiveness of LRINEC (Laboratory risk indicator for necrotizing fasciitis)
scoring system in the diagnosis of Necrotizing Fasciitis among patients presenting
with soft tissue infections.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:-
This is a prospective observational study of 180 patients presented with soft tissue
infections in B.L.D.E (DU)’S Shri B.M.Patil Medical College and were divided into
three risk groups – Low, Intermediate and High, based on LRINEC scores.
Results:-
Out of 180 patients, 60-69 years age group was predominant (20.6 %) in the present
study. The male participants were almost three-fold higher than females. DM has
major co morbid present among the patients. Patients were grouped into 115 (63.9%)
Low risk, 39 (21.7%) Intermediate, 26(14.4%) High risk groups. Mann Whitney U
test was used to compare treatment modalities and found statistical significance. The
mean ±SD of surgical intervention was lower than conservative management.
Conservative management in low risk group was predominant (96.5%). But, both
moderate (69.2%) and high risk (86.2%) groups had surgical intervention as a
predominant treatment strategies. However, conservative treatment has also been
observed in these moderate (30.8%) and high risk (3.8%) groups. Using Spearman’s
correlation coefficient, Age of the total participants was compared with LRINEC
Score and found insignificant. The high-risk group (LRINEC score ≥8) has higher
sensitivity (95.83 %) and specificity (100 %) than the intermediate risk group
(LRINEC score 6-7) has moderate sensitivity (74.07 %) & specificity of 100% and
Low-risk group (LRINEC score ≤5) has lower sensitivity (20 %) & specificity of
100%. The LRINEC score more than i.e. two groups (6-7 & ≥8) showed significant
diagnostics accuracy for Necrotizing Fasciitis.
Conclusion: - LRINEC Score is useful tool for clinical diagnosis of Necrotizing
Fasciitis from other soft tissue infections.
