title: Incidence and cost of hospitalizations associated with Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infections in the United States from 2001 through 2009.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and its role in skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) accentuated the role of SA-SSTIs in hospitalizations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample and Census Bureau data to quantify population-based incidence and associated cost for SA-SSTI hospitalizations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SA-SSTI associated hospitalizations increased 123% from 160,811 to 358,212 between 2001 and 2009, and they represented an increasing share of SA- hospitalizations (39% to 51%). SA-SSTI incidence (per 100,000 people) doubled from 57 in 2001 to 117 in 2009 (p<0.01). A significant increase was observed in all age groups. Adults aged 75+ years and children 0-17 years experienced the lowest (27%) and highest (305%) incidence increase, respectively. However, the oldest age group still had the highest SA-SSTI hospitalization incidence across all study years. Total annual cost of SA-SSTI hospitalizations also increased and peaked in 2008 at $4.84 billion, a 44% increase from 2001. In 2009, the average associated cost of a SA-SSTI hospitalization was $11,622 (SE=$200).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There has been an increase in the incidence and associated cost of SA-SSTI hospitalizations in U.S.A. between 2001 and 2009, with the highest incidence increase seen in children 0-17 years. However, the greatest burden was still seen in the population over 75 years. By 2009, SSTI diagnoses were present in about half of all SA-hospitalizations.
authors.affiliation: Health Outcomes, North America Vaccine Development, GlaxoSmithKline, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Jose.2.Suaya@gsk.com.
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Suaya
authors.forename: Robertino M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Mera
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cassidy
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Hara
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amrine-Madsen
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burstin
authors.forename: Loren G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology