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Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
12:18

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Published on: February 9, 2011

Clinical and financial outcomes due to methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus surgical site infection: a

Deverick J Anderson1, Keith S Kaye, Luke F Chen

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Duke Infection Control Outreach Network, Durham, North Carolina, USA.

Plos One
|December 18, 2009
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Surgical site infections (SSIs) from MRSA significantly increase patient readmission, mortality, hospitalization, and costs. Preventing MRSA SSIs can save hospitals substantial amounts, highlighting the importance of infection control.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Surgical Outcomes
  • Healthcare Economics

Background:

  • Clinical and financial outcomes of surgical site infections (SSIs) caused by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are not well understood.
  • Previous research on MRSA's impact on SSIs has yielded conflicting results.
  • Understanding the specific burden of MRSA in SSIs is crucial for effective patient management and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the attributable clinical and financial outcomes associated with SSIs due to MRSA.
  • To compare outcomes of MRSA SSIs with uninfected controls and SSIs caused by Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).
  • To determine the independent impact of MRSA and methicillin-resistance on mortality, readmission, hospitalization duration, and hospital charges.

Main Methods:

  • A multi-center matched outcomes study involving 659 surgical patients.
  • Comparison of patients with MRSA SSIs against matched uninfected controls and MSSA SSI patients.
  • Analysis of mortality, readmission, hospitalization duration, and hospital charges within 90 days post-SSI diagnosis using logistic and linear regression.

Main Results:

  • MRSA SSIs were independently linked to a 35-fold increase in readmission, a 7.27-fold increase in mortality, 23 additional hospitalization days, and $61,681 in extra charges compared to uninfected controls.
  • Methicillin-resistance itself was not independently associated with increased mortality or readmission.
  • However, methicillin-resistance was associated with 5.5 additional hospitalization days and $24,113 in additional charges.

Conclusions:

  • The impact of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistance on surgical patient outcomes is significant.
  • Preventing a single case of MRSA SSI can result in considerable cost savings for hospitals, estimated up to $60,000.
  • These findings underscore the critical need for robust infection prevention strategies targeting MRSA in surgical settings.

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