Incidence, characteristics and outcomes of patients with severe community acquired-MRSA pneumonia.

We evaluated the published data for the incidence, characteristics and outcomes of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The estimated incidence of MRSA CAP is 0.51-0.64 cases per 100,000. We identified 74 articles reporting data on 114 patients. Influenza like symptoms was reported in 41% of patients. Pneumonia improved in 59 (54.1%) out of 109 patients; 49 (44.5%) out of 110 patients died. The duration of hospitalisation was 38.1+/-24.9 and 8.3+/-11.7 days, respectively. The duration of intensive care unit (ICU) stay was 18.9+/-13.6 and 6.8+/-9.7 days, respectively. 76 strains carried the Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene. The univariate analysis showed that multi-organ failure (p<0.001), leukopenia (p<0.001), admission to ICU (p<0.001), mechanical ventilation (p<0.001), use of aminoglycosides after culture results (p<0.001), shock (p = 0.001), acute respiratory distress syndrome (p = 0.001), influenza like symptoms (p = 0.008), disseminated intravascular coagulation (p = 0.042) and rash (p = 0.04) were the factors associated with death.