Excess costs and utilization associated with methicillin resistance for patients with Staphylococcus aureus infection
GA Filice, JA Nyman, C Lexau, CH Lees… - Infection Control & …, 2010 - cambridge.org
GA Filice, JA Nyman, C Lexau, CH Lees, LA Bockstedt, K Como-Sabetti, LJ Lesher…
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 2010•cambridge.orgObjective. To determine differences in healthcare costs between cases of methicillin-
susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infection and methicillin-resistant S. aureus
(MRSA) infection in adults. Design. Retrospective study of all cases of S. aureus infection.
Setting. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital and associated clinics. Patients. There were
390 patients with MSSA infections and 335 patients with MRSA infections. Methods. We
used medical records, accounting systems, and interviews to identify services rendered and …
susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infection and methicillin-resistant S. aureus
(MRSA) infection in adults. Design. Retrospective study of all cases of S. aureus infection.
Setting. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital and associated clinics. Patients. There were
390 patients with MSSA infections and 335 patients with MRSA infections. Methods. We
used medical records, accounting systems, and interviews to identify services rendered and …
Objective
To determine differences in healthcare costs between cases of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infection and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection in adults.
Design
Retrospective study of all cases of S. aureus infection.
Setting
Department of Veterans Affairs hospital and associated clinics.
Patients
There were 390 patients with MSSA infections and 335 patients with MRSA infections.
Methods
We used medical records, accounting systems, and interviews to identify services rendered and costs for Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center patients with S. aureus infection with onset during the period from January 1, 2004, through June 30, 2006. We used regression analysis to adjust for patient characteristics.
Results
Median 6-month unadjusted costs for patients infected with MRSA were 62,473) for MSSA infection. Patients with MRSA infection were also more likely to die than were patients with MSSA infection (23.6% vs 11.5%; P < .001). MRSA infection was more likely to involve the lungs, bloodstream, and urinary tract, while MSSA infection was more likely to involve bones or joints; eyes, ears, nose, or throat; surgical sites; and skin or soft tissue (P < .001).
Conclusions
Resistance to methicillin in S. aureus was independently associated with increased costs. Effective antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention programs are needed to prevent these costly infections.