Incidence of skin and soft-tissue infections in England: 11-year retrospective study.

Abstract

Epidemiological estimates for the incidence of skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) in England are limited. We aimed at evaluating the incidence of SSTIs and associated complications through a retrospective, observational 11-year study (2010-2020). We retrieved data on SSTI and associated complications from Clinical Practice Research Datalink, Hospital Episode Statistics, and the Office for National Statistics for England. More than four million SSTI episodes were identified, which corresponded to an overall incidence of 33.1 per 1000 person-years of observation (PYO). The incidence per 1000 PYO was highest in patients with a previous history of SSTI (109.8), ≥65 years (70.1), and those with comorbidities (69.0). The incidence of abscesses/cellulitis/other SSTIs (25.7) was the most frequent, followed by chronic ulcers (4.7) and surgical site infections (2.8). Of the 0.4 million SSTI hospitalizations, ~62.8% were due to abscesses/cellulitis/other SSTIs. Recurrences in the 12 months after the first SSTI were found in 19.5% of cases. Mortality due to SSTI and related complications varied between 0.4% and 0.5% across years, mostly in hospitalized settings. These results show that SSTIs are responsible for a substantial burden of disease in England and will help clinicians in better understanding the epidemiology of SSTI.