Demographic and clinical variables among 510 patients with clinical isolates that tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus and prior screening for methicillin-resistant S. aureus
| Variable | No. (%) of patients* |
|---|---|
| Age, yr, mean ± SD | 63 ± 28 |
| Sex | |
| Male | 332 (65) |
| Female | 178 (35) |
| Screening result for MRSA | |
| Positive | 53 (10) |
| Negative | 457 (90) |
| Methicillin resistance of S. aureus clinical isolates | |
| Resistant | 79 (15) |
| Susceptible | 431 (85) |
| Admission category | |
| Medical | 240 (47) |
| Surgical | 270 (53) |
| Admitted to intensive care unit† | 207 (41) |
| Swab and isolate collection done on same admission | 429 (84) |
| Clinical cultures obtained from specific site‡ | |
| Sterile | 109 (21) |
| Blood | 62 (12) |
| Fluid | 21 (4) |
| Tissue biopsy | 26 (5) |
| Nonsterile | 401 (79) |
| Lower respiratory | 156 (31) |
| Urine | 45 (9) |
| Swab/miscellaneous | 200 (39) |
| Time between swab and isolate collection | |
| Immediate (< 48 h) | 149 (29) |
| Recent (48 h to 14 d) | 233 (46) |
| Remote (> 14 d) | 128 (25) |
| Time from admission to isolate collection, d, mean (IQR) | 15 (10–20) |
| Time from swab to isolate collection, d, mean ± SD | 18 ± 14 |
| Antibiotic treatment between swab and isolate collection | 307 (60) |