Researchers studied which patients benefit most from Staphylococcus aureus screening and decolonization treatment, according to Medscape. The study analyzed one-year and three-year mortality rates to pinpoint patient groups that providers should target for screening.
Here are six thoughts:
1. Forty-four of the 431 patients in the mupirocin/chlorhexidine group died after three years.
2. Forty-three of the 362 patients in the placebo group died.
3. Researchers did not detect morality rate differences between the groups based on surgery.
4. In the clean procedures patient group, mupirocin/chlorhexidine decreased one-year mortality.
5. The study found S. aureus carriage detection and decolonization prevents S. aureus surgical-site infections and decreased one-year mortality in patients receiving clean procedures.
6. Researchers suggested the screen-and-treat strategy's main target should be patients with high-risks of developing S. aureus infections.
