Table 3.

Summary of clinical trials on eradication of MRSA including the colonization status before treatment, the main outcome and type of bias.

Preparation for skin antisepsis	Number of patients and colonization status (n)	Duration of treatment cycle	Overall rate of MRSA eradication	Type(s) of bias	Reference
Octenisept	Patients: 5 Skin colonized: 5 Nose colonized: 5	25 days (mean)	20%	None	[23]
Octenisept	Patients: 28 Skin colonized: 10 Nose colonized: 18	5 days (mean)	75%	• Early first swab (< 48 h) • Follow-up < 7 days (n = 9) • Selection bias (18 patients without dermal colonization)	[25]
Chlorhexidine soap	Patients: 98 Skin colonized: 37 Nose colonized: 57	5 days (mean)	25% (with mupirocin) 18% without mupirocin	None	[8]
Chlorhexidine soap	Patients: 12 Skin colonized: 10 Nose colonized: 8	5 – 7 days (range)	83%	Treatment bias (all 12 patients received various antibiotics at the same time)	[22]
Triclosan soap and foam	Patients: 58 Skin colonized: unknown Nose colonized: unknown	4.2 days (mean)	100%	• Selection bias (no evidence of initial dermal colonization) • Treatment bias (concomitant antibiotic treatment to an unknown number of patients) • Outcome bias (cultures were mainly obtained during antiseptic treatment)	[24]
Betadine	Patients: 35 Skin colonized: unknown Nose colonized: unknown	5 days (mean)	69%	Treatment bias (all patients received also vancomycin 250 mg every 6 h)	[18]
Trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (160 mg/800 mg twice daily) and rifampin (600 mg once daily) (25)	Patients: 25 Skin colonized: unknown Nose colonized: unknown	2 – 9 days (range)	56%	Treatment bias: No antiseptic treatment for the skin was included	[10]