Readmission Rate After Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Infection: A Retrospective Study

Background The exponential increase in the incidence of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections has imposed great burdens on hospital systems. Although there are vast antibiotic options for the treatment of MRSA, eradication is often tough. There are not many studies highlighting the post-discharge readmission rates for MRSA patients. Objective The primary aim of the study was to describe the 30-day readmission rate for patients hospitalized with a positive MRSA culture from a single center, with a secondary aim of analyzing 90-day readmission rates.  Methods The authors conducted a retrospective study based on a chart review of patients' electronic medical records and the 3M billing platform to obtain information regarding patients treated for MRSA infections. Inclusion criteria were age above 18, admission to a single center in the United States, and positive microbial MRSA diagnoses between 2014 and 2024. Data regarding demographics, comorbidities, length of stay, and readmission diagnoses were collected and analyzed using Microsoft Excel Version 16.91. Results The retrospective analysis revealed a total of 127 patients who met the inclusion criteria. The demographics of the patient population were predominantly male and over the age of 65. Among the patients, 17.32% (22 out of 127 patients) had a readmission within 30 days of discharge after a MRSA infection. Of these 22 patients, 50% were male and 50% were female, with an average age of 65. These 22 patients accounted for 24 readmissions within 30 days of discharge. Of all the readmissions, 54.17% (13/24) were due to an infectious process, and 45.83% (11/24) were due to the exacerbation of comorbidities. Only 1 readmission was a result of recurrent MRSA bacteremia. The average readmission ratio within 30 days of MRSA infection was 1.09 per patient. Among the 127 patients included in the study, 27.56% (35/127) were readmitted at least once to the hospital within 90 days following discharge for the treatment of initial presentation with a positive MRSA culture. However, these 35 patients accounted for a total of 54 readmissions within 90 days of discharge. Of all the readmissions, 44.44% (24/54) were due to an infectious cause, while 44.44% (24/54) were due to the exacerbation of comorbidities. The average readmission ratio within 90 days of MRSA infection was 1.5 per patient. Conclusion The high readmission rates for patients with MRSA can be attributed to the increased morbidity associated with MRSA. Approximately half of the patients who were readmitted within 30 days were admitted due to an infectious process, whereas the other half were admitted due to the exacerbation of comorbidities.