Clinical Trial: The Use of Oral Steroids in the Treatment of Cellulitis

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Unknown status
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Utility of Prednisone in the Treatment of Cellulitis

Brief Summary: The prevalence of cellulitis in society is very high, as much as 3% of visits to Emergency Departments are for the treatment of this disease. The treatment of cellulitis varies depending on the severity. Low severity cases are treated with pain control and antibiotics by mouth and high severity are treated with antibiotics intravenously and pain control. The investigator's hypothesis is to see if the addition of steroids, which are known to decrease inflammation, will decrease the length of the disease process. If so, it will decrease the length of stay if IV antibiotics are needed, it will decrease duration of days out of work and decrease the overall pain control required and therefore patient satisfaction.

Detailed Summary: The incidence of cellulitis is about 24.6 cases per 1000 person-years, which is an estimate, since cellulitis is not a reportable disease. In some Emergency Departments up to 3% of visits are for cellulitis. Depending on the severity of the disease, some are treated as outpatients, and others are admitted for IV antibiotics. In some Emergency Departments cases of cellulitis are treated in an observation area for 23 hours with doses of IV antibiotics. My proposed research is to see if the addition of one dose of prednisone the treatment will decrease the inflammatory reaction enough to decrease length of stay and treatment and increase patient satisfaction.
Sponsor: Penn State University

Current Primary Outcome: Time to cellulitis resolving [ Time Frame: 48 hours after initiation of treatment ]

Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome: Length of stay [ Time Frame: after treatment completed ]

Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: Penn State University

Dates:
Date Received: May 1, 2009
Date Started: September 2009
Date Completion: July 2010
Last Updated: May 4, 2009
Last Verified: May 2009