We analyzed the effect of perioperative elimination of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus using mupirocin nasal ointment on the reduction of the postoperative wound infection rate in orthopedics. In an unblinded intervention trial, we compared 1,044 patients treated with mupirocin (intervention group) with 1,260 historical controls (control group). From each group a random sample of 50 patients was taken. Risk factors were analyzed in these random samples and we found it unlikely that different distributions of risk factors might have influenced the results. The wound infection rates were 14/1,044 in the intervention group and 34/1,260 in the control group (p = 0.02). The rates of wound infections caused by S. aureus were subsequently 7/1,044 and 14/1,260 (p = 0.3). On checking the data we found that prophylaxis had unintentionally not been given to 172 patients in the intervention group. Correction of the data gave a comparable total infection rate, but a further reduced infection rate by S. aureus. Our findings suggest that prophylactic treatment with mupirocin in orthopedic surgery can reduce the infection rate.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.