Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics as predictors of treatment failures in uncomplicated skin abscesses within seven days after incision and drainage.

Background: Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is now the leading cause of superficial abscesses seen in the Emergency Department.

Study Objectives: Our primary aim was to determine if an association exists between three predictor variables (abscess size, cellulitis size, and MRSA culture) and treatment failure within 7 days after incision and drainage in adults. Our secondary aim was to determine if an association exists between two clinical features (abscess size and size of surrounding cellulitis) and eventual MRSA diagnosis by culture.

Randomized controlled trial of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for uncomplicated skin abscesses in patients at risk for community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection.

Study Objective: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is now the leading cause of uncomplicated skin abscesses in the United States, and the role of antibiotics is controversial. We evaluate whether trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole reduces the rate of treatment failures during the 7 days after incision and drainage and whether it reduces new lesion formation within 30 days.

Methods: In this multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we randomized adults to oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or placebo after uncomplicated abscess incision and drainage.