Abstract
Introduction: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses an escalating healthcare challenge, particularly within patient populations exhibiting heightened immunological or structural vulnerabilities.
Objectives: This study evaluated the prevalence, anatomical distribution, risk factors, and hospitalization outcomes of MRSA infections among diabetic, immunosuppressed, and orthopedic implant cohorts in Punjab.
Methods: A prospective, hospital-based observational survey was conducted over six months in Lahore, evaluating 240 high-risk patients. Standard microbiological techniques confirmed MRSA isolates. Demographic profiles, clinical presentations, and acquisition modes were correlated using multi-variable Cox regression models and comparative statistical matrices.
Results: The overall MRSA prevalence was 84.3% (n=203). The result shows diabetic patients bore the highest clinical burden (30.5%, n=62), followed equally by immunosuppressed and orthopedic implant patients (24.6%, n=50 each). Wound and pus samples comprised the most isolation sources (77.8%), with the lower extremities being the most frequent anatomical site (39.4%). Multi-variable Cox regression finds advancing age as a potent independent risk factor for MRSA acquisition (HR = 2.099, p < 0.001). Prolonged hospitalization was heavily associated with adverse clinical outcomes (p < 0.001), yielding a substantial mean stay of 14.16±19.42 days. Furthermore, a significant variation in infection acquisition mode was identified (p = 0.025), with healthcare-associated settings showing a higher proportion of immunosuppressed individuals (34.1%).
Conclusion: This study demonstrates an alarmingly high MRSA burden among specialized cohorts in Punjab, heavily driven by advancing age and extended hospital stays. Mitigating this clinical threat requires the urgent integration of rapid molecular screening (PCR), preoperative nasal decolonization for implant recipients, and rigorous antimicrobial stewardship