Increasing Incidence, Cost, and Seasonality in Patients Hospitalized for Cellulitis

Open Forum Infect Dis. 2017 Feb 8;4(1):ofx008. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofx008. eCollection 2017 Winter.

Abstract

Using data from the National Inpatient Sample, 1998-2013, we show that hospitalizations for cellulitis have approximately doubled. Costs increased by 118% to $3.74 billion annually. In addition, hospitalizations for cellulitis are highly seasonal, peaking in summer months: incidence during the peak month of July is 35% higher than in February.

Keywords: cellulitis; cost; hospitalization; seasonality; trend..