Successful outpatient treatment of sinusitis exacerbations caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether community-acquired MRSA sinusitis can be adequately treated on an outpatient basis without the need for intravenous antibiotics.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective review of all cases of community-acquired MRSA sinusitis encountered by the author over a 36-month period.

RESULTS: Of 29 patients who tested positive for MRSA sinusitis, 26 patients had follow-up information available and were retrospectively reviewed. The average follow-up period was 12.0 months (range: 1–36 mo). Twelve infectious episodes of MRSA were treated with oral antibiotics alone and 16 were treated with a combination of oral and topical antibiotics. The mean time to clinical resolution with these regimens was 5.7 weeks (range: 3–8 wks). Two patients experienced recurrent MRSA infections resulting in a recurrence rate of 7.7% and an overall resolution rate of 92.3%.

CONCLUSIONS: Community-acquired MRSA sinusitis can be very adequately treated on an outpatient basis with culture-directed oral and topical antibiotics.