High Prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus among Patients with Septic Arthritis Caused by Staphylococcus aureus

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the clinical characteristics of patients with septic arthritis caused by Staphylococcus aureus and tried to identify the risk factors for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) arthritis. METHODS: Between January 2008 and December 2011, patients with septic arthritis caused by S. aureus were identified from the computerized databases of a regional hospital and a medical center in southern Taiwan. The medical records of these patients were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 93 patients with S. aureus arthritis were identified, and MRSA arthritis was found in 38 (40.9%) cases. The mean age of the patients was 58 years, and 86 (92.5%) episodes were classified as community-acquired infections. Diabetes mellitus (n = 41, 44.1%) was the most common underlying disease, followed by chronic kidney disease and liver cirrhosis. Patients with MRSA arthritis were more frequently elderly and found in the setting of healthcare-associated infection than patients with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) infections. No other significant differences in clinical manifestations and outcomes were noted between these two groups of patients. Overall, the in-hospital mortality rate was 5.4%, and diabetes mellitus was the only risk factor for mortality. CONCLUSIONS: MRSA is emerging in the setting of community-acquired septic arthritis. MRSA septic arthritis is more likely to develop in the elderly and in healthcare-associated infections than MSSA septic arthritis.