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<p><strong>OBJECTIVES: </strong>Broad-spectrum antibiotics are commonly used for the empiric treatment of acute hematogenous osteomyelitis and often target methicillin-resistant(MRSA) with medication-associated risk and unknown treatment benefit. We aimed to compare clinical outcomes among patients with osteomyelitis who did and did not receive initial antibiotics used to target MRSA.</p>
<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>A retrospective cohort study of 974 hospitalized children 2 to 18 years old using the Pediatric Health Information System database, augmented with clinical data. Rates of hospital readmission, repeat MRI and 72-hour improvement in inflammatory markers were compared between treatment groups.</p>
<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Repeat MRI within 7 and 180 days was more frequent among patients who received initial MRSA coverage versus methicillin-sensitive(MSSA)-only coverage (8.6% vs 4.1% within 7 days [= .02] and 12% vs 5.8% within 180 days [< .01], respectively). Ninety- and 180-day hospital readmission rates were similar between coverage groups (9.0% vs 8.7% [= .87] and 10.9% vs 11.2% [= .92], respectively). Patients with MRSA- and MSSA-only coverage had similar rates of 72-hour improvement in C-reactive protein values, but patients with MRSA coverage had a lower rate of 72-hour white blood cell count normalization compared with patients with MSSA-only coverage (4.2% vs 16.4%;= .02).</p>
<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>In this study of children hospitalized with acute hematogenous osteomyelitis, early antibiotic treatment used to target MRSA was associated with a higher rate of repeat MRI compared with early antibiotic treatment used to target MSSA but not MRSA. Hospital readmission rates were similar for both treatment groups.</p>
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