Table 2.
Summary Estimates of Included Studies
| MRSA Colonization Prevalence | Studies (Arms) | No.a | % Combined Effect (95% CI) | τ2 | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All studies | 32 (38) | 6558 | 6.9 (4.8–9.3) | 0.067 | |
| Geographic region | |||||
| North America | 17 (21) | 3783 | 8.8 (6.0–12.2) | 0.051 | Ref |
| Europe | 7 (7) | 560 | 1.0 (0.3–2.2) | 0.005 | .01 |
| Asia | 6 (6) | 1757 | 5.8 (2.8–9.8) | 0.028 | .30 |
| Setting (among North American studies) | |||||
| Outpatient | 10 (13) | 2979 | 7.0 (4.1–10.6) | 0.046 | Ref |
| On hospital admission | 6 (6) | 759 | 13.5 (6.2–23.0) | 0.079 | .12 |
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Ref, reference.
a Number of patients who were screened for MRSA colonization.