Does antibiotic exposure increase the risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolation?
Background: Current evidence does not provide a clear definition of the association between methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolation and previous antibiotic use. A systematic review was performed to determine whether antibiotic exposure is a risk factor for the isolation of MRSA. Methods: MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched to identify studies published between 1976 and 2007 on the role of antibiotics as a risk factor for MRSA isolation in adult patients. The outcome of interest was MRSA isolation. Summary statistics were risk ratios (RR) comparing MRSA-positive patients to those without S. aureus isolation or with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus isolation. Results: Seventy-six studies, including a total of 24 230 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Antibiotic exposure was determined in the 126 ± 184 (mean ± SD) days preceding MRSA isolation. The risk of acquiring MRSA was increased by 1.8-fold [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.7–1.9; P < 0.001] in patient
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- Does antibiotic exposure increase the risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolation?
