Cellulitis Mimics in the Geriatric Patient

• Published in: Current geriatrics reports Vol. 9; no. 4; pp. 192 - 198
• Main Authors: Blake, Amy K., Cruzval-O’Reilly, Estefanía, Sayed, Christopher
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Antibiotics; Bacterial infections; Blood; Cardiac arrhythmia; Cellulitis; Chronic illnesses; Clinical decision making; Cross-sectional studies; Dermatitis; Dermatology and Wound Care (C Sayed; Edema; Emergency medical care; Erythema; Fever; Geriatrics; Geriatrics/Gerontology; Health risks; Hospitals; Hypertension; Hypotension; Leukocytes; Lymphedema; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neurology; Nosocomial infections; Pain; Pain Medicine; Patients; Psychopharmacology; Rheumatology; Section Editor; Thrombosis; Topical Collection on Dermatology and Wound Care; Ulcers; Pseudocellulitis; Contact dermatitis; Cellulitis; Venous stasis; Geriatric dermatology; Eczema
• ISSN: 2196-7865; 2196-7865
• DOI: 10.1007/s13670-020-00334-6

Purpose of Review We review common cellulitis mimics in the geriatric population and address recent developments to aid in their timely diagnosis and appropriate management. The effects of inappropriate or delayed treatment for these conditions are a major concern for the geriatric population. Recent Findings Newer clinical tools for diagnosing cellulitis have shown some promise, but a lack of validated diagnostic criteria persists. Geriatric patients with pseudocellulitis often present with atypical findings, and these patients—particularly nursing home residents—are at high risk for misdiagnosis, inappropriate management, and resultant adverse effects. Summary Pseudocellulitis is a significant driver of unnecessary hospitalizations, medication exposure, and healthcare costs. We discuss several of the most common cellulitis mimics to aid in their differentiation, as timely diagnosis and appropriate management are important for the growing geriatric population. A validated clinical tool for diagnosis and differentiation of these conditions would be of great use.