title: Profile of patients admitted with infected skin ulcers at Bella Vista Hospital Mayagüez.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of patients admitted to Bella Vista Hospital in Mayagüez with a diagnosis of infected skin ulcer, the most common microorganisms recovered in cultures, and their antimicrobial sensitivity patterns.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients discharged with the diagnosis of infected skin ulcer from January 1 through December 31, 2012 were selected. Following variables were extracted: sex, age, hospital stay, morbid conditions, antibiotics used, microorganisms identified on cultures and sensitivity of microorganisms to different antimicrobials. Prevalence rates were estimated for different conditions and different microorganisms. The use of empirical antibiotics were described and compared with the antimicrobial sensitivity of the microorganisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population consisted of 98 subjects (54% female, 46% male). Mean age was 71 years old, with 71% of subjects older than 65 years old. Prevalence rates of diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension and osteomyelitis were 74.5%, 74.5%, 79.6%, and 17.5% respectively. The antibiotic most frequently used was piperacyllin-tazobactam (PTZ). The organisms most frequently found on cultures were Staphylococcus (37.8%), distributed as 20.4% methicillin resistant and 17.3 sensitive to methicillin, followed by E. coli (30.6%), Streptococcus (29.6%), and Pseudomonas (27.6%). The majority of microorganisms were sensitive to PTZ. There was a higher prevalence of osteomyelitis in diabetic patients than in non-diabetic patients but the difference was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antibiotic sensitivity patterns were consistent with the expected, according to the literature. Empirically used antibiotics were appropriate according to sensitivity patterns shown in the study.
authors.affiliation: Bella Vista Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Brandie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Astudillo
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: del Prado
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Domenack
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nasi
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seche
authors.forename: R Iván
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Iriarte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents