Necrotizing fasciitis in two patients with myelodysplastic syndrome treated with azacitidine

Abstract

Azacitidine is a novel agent for treating myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). It has a relatively safe toxicity profile with very few reported skin toxicities. Patients with MDS were prone to get severe infections, especially via respiratory tract, urinary system, and bloodstream. However, necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a relatively rare event in patients with MDS, and it is hard to diagnose early. Here, we report two MDS cases that developed NF in lower extremities while receiving azacitidine treatment. One of them survives after emergent fasciotomy along with the administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics and intravenous immunoglobulin.

Keywords: azacitidine; myelodysplastic syndrome; necrotizing fasciitis.