PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Ali, Mohamed A. AU - Rajab, Ahmad M. AU - Al-Khani, Abdullah M. AU - Ayash, Saleh Q. AU - Basha, Amjad Chamsi AU - Abdelgadir, Ahmed AU - Rajab, Tawfik M. AU - Enabi, Saed AU - Saquib, Nazmus TI - Methicillin-resistant <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> development in intensive care patients AID - 10.15537/smj.2020.11.25465 DP - 2020 Nov 01 TA - Saudi Medical Journal PG - 1181--1186 VI - 41 IP - 11 4099 - http://smj.org.sa/content/41/11/1181.short 4100 - http://smj.org.sa/content/41/11/1181.full SO - Saudi Med J2020 Nov 01; 41 AB - Objectives: To determine the factors associated with the development of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), hospital stay and mortality, and early versus late MRSA infection.Methods: Cases (n=44) were intensive care unit (ICU) patients admitted to King Fahd Specialist Hospital, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia between 2015 and 2019 who developed MRSA during their hospital stay. Controls (n=48) were patients from the same place and period who did not develop MRSA. Data were abstracted from hospital records.Results: Admission with sepsis (case: 46% vs. control: 2%, p&lt;0.001) and having at least one comorbid condition (case: 95% vs. control: 46%, p&lt;0.001) were significantly associated with the development of MRSA. Age (mean ± SD: case: 65±18, control: 64±18, p=0.7) and gender (% male, case: 52%, control: 56%, p=0.70) were not associated with the development of MRSA. Approximately 73% of all MRSA cases developed within the first 2 weeks of admission. Among the early cases, 44% died during their ICU stay; the corresponding percentage among the late cases was 42% (p=0.69). There was no difference between early and late MRSA cases in terms of non-sepsis admissions (50% vs. 67%, p=0.32) or comorbid status (at least one: 97% vs. 92%, p=0.17).Conclusion: Sepsis and comorbid conditions were significant risk factors for MRSA development among hospital patients.