title: Nasopharyngeal colonization with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus and mortality among patients in an intensive care unit.
abstract: Nasopharyngeal colonization with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is common in critically ill patients, but its effect on patient prognosis is not fully elucidated. A retrospective cohort study was carried out enrolling 122 patients from an intensive care unit who were screened weekly for nasopharyngeal colonization with MRSA. The outcomes of interest were: general mortality and mortality by infection. Several exposure variables (severity of illness, procedures, intercurrences and MRSA nasopharyngeal colonization) were analyzed through univariate and multivariable models. Factors significantly associated with mortality in general or due to infection were: APACHE II and lung disease. The performance of surgery predicted favorable outcomes. MRSA colonization did not predict mortality in general (OR=1.02; 95%CI=0.35-3.00; p=0.97) or by infectious causes (OR=0.96; 95%CI=0.33-2.89; p=0.96). The results suggest that, in the absence of severity of illness factors, colonization with MRSA is not associated with unfavorable outcomes.
authors: Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Brazil. crysravagnani@bol.com.br
authors: Cristiane Ravagnani
authors: CR
authors: Fortaleza
authors: Edson Carvalho de
authors: EC
authors: Melo
authors: Carlos Magno Castelo Branco
authors: CM
authors: Fortaleza
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies