Necrotizing fasciitis is a progressive inflammatory disease that requires an early diagnosis to avoid
limb salvage and other deadly manifestations. The current protocol is the microbiological and histopathological sampling of the tissue. Once the diagnosis is made, it should be managed with antimicrobial
therapy,
debridement, and surgical interventions. Such interventions can be invasive and increase the time to treat, which may increase morbidity. Our article discusses
procalcitonin,
C-reactive protein, and other markers, such as "
pain out of proportion," lactate,
creatinine, and
creatine kinase, to make a quicker diagnosis before proceeding with invasive procedures. We discussed a similar non-invasive approach called the "Laboratory Risk
Indicator for
Necrotizing Fasciitis" scoring system that can aid in the early diagnosis of
necrotizing fasciitis, which can prompt rapid empiric
therapy, reducing the chances of morbidity. This scoring system comprises
C-reactive protein, white blood cell count,
hemoglobin level,
creatinine,
sodium, and
glucose. Such non-invasive, bedside, and quick tests can help in reducing the time required to make the diagnosis and can affect the course of the disease, hence, improving patient outcomes.