BackgroundThis 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.MethodsBetween 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.ResultsA 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.ConclusionsMRSA 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.

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