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Risk factors

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Infections in NF usually take place in a hypoxic environment with decreased function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Hence patients with NF usually have some predisposition to infection. Some known risk factors of NF include:

  • diabetes and other chronic medical diseases
  • immunosuppressive drugs
  • malnutrition
  • advanced age e.g. - age >60 years
  • IV drug use
  • peripheral vascular disease
  • obesity
  • underlying malignancy

Clinicians should obtain specific history form patient to gather information about any precipitating events which might have caused NF. e.g. -

  • traumatic event - surgery, IV drug use, penetrating injury
  • non traumatic - soft tissue infections, burns, childbirth etc (1)

It should be noted that around 25% of cases occur in patients without comorbidity or precedent trauma (2).

Reference:

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