Incidence of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Isolation in a Geriatric Hospital : A Second Report on the Risk Factors for the Occurrence of MRSA Infection in the Elderly

From April 1992 to March 1993, we examined the results of a bacterial culture from various clinical aspects in 83 elderly inpatients at a geriatric hospital. A case control study was carried out in order to evaluate the various factors which may influence the occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. A univariate analysis revealed that a lower ADL score, a great number of antibiotics administration or the use of the third generation cephems increased the risk for MRSA infection. However, a multivariate analysis revealed that the risk for MRSA infection increased only among the patients who received the third generation cephems (OR: 2.80, 95% Cl : 1.40-5.63). Therefore, in the elderly, the use of third generation cephems seems to pose a great risk factor for MRSA infection. The level of total cholesterol, serum albumin or hemoglobin did not differ between the MRSA group and the non-MRSA group. However, among the patients who did not receive the third generation cephems, hypoalbuminemia was a risk for MRSA infection (OR: 2.06, 95% Cl : 1.10-3.85). J Epidemiol, 1994; 4 : 129-132.