Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization is consistently rising. The question whether the MRSA colonization places the patients at higher risk, requiring higher levels of care when being admitted, has never been studied. We conducted this study to determine the impact of MRSA colonization status on the required level of care upon admission to hospital.

We conducted a retrospective chart review in 1000 plus–bed tertiary care academic institute. Our study population composed of all the patients who were admitted from January 2011 to March 2011. We found 7413 pediatric admissions that were identified as the study subjects. We assessed and divided study subjects into 2 groups, MRSA colonized and MRSA noncolonized. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus–colonized patients were further grouped into those admitted to either pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) or ward, and these 2 groups were analyzed using P value, Fisher exact test, relative risks, and odds ratios.

We found a total of 7413 admissions, 753 were admitted in PICU (average pediatric risk of mortality score 18), and 6660 were admitted in pediatric wards (average pediatric risk of mortality score, 5). We found that MRSA colonization was 20 (2.66%) of 753 in PICU admissions and 155 (2.33%) of 6660 in ward admissions. We found that rate of admissions difference between MRSA colonized and MRSA noncolonized groups was clinically insignificant (P > .05).

We conclude that MRSA colonization does not increase the need of care in PICU upon admission to hospital from emergency department. However, these preliminary results need to be confirmed through larger, multicenter, and multicountry data analysis.