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Published on: December 10, 2016
Determining mortality rates attributable to Clostridium difficile infection.
Susy S Hota1, Camille Achonu, Natasha S Crowcroft
1University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. susy.hota@uhn.on.ca
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|February 7, 2012
Summary
Accurately measuring deaths from Clostridium difficile infection is crucial. Death records within 30 days of infection offer a feasible and more precise method than death certificates alone.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Mortality Statistics
Background:
- Accurate attribution of deaths to Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is essential for public health surveillance and resource allocation.
- Existing methods for determining CDI-attributable mortality may have limitations in accuracy and feasibility.
- Standardizing CDI mortality measurement is needed to improve data reliability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the accuracy and feasibility of three distinct methods for identifying deaths attributable to Clostridium difficile infection.
- To evaluate the performance of death certificate data, 30-day post-infection mortality, and expert panel review in Ontario, Canada.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of mortality data in Ontario, Canada, for the years 2007-2008.
- Comparison of three death ascertainment strategies: death certificate records, deaths occurring within 30 days of a positive CDI test, and expert panel review of cases.
- Assessment of data accuracy and feasibility for each method.
Main Results:
- Death certificate data were found to be less accurate in attributing deaths to CDI compared to other methods.
- The 30-day post-infection mortality measure demonstrated higher accuracy than death certificate data.
- Expert panel review, while accurate, presented lower feasibility compared to the 30-day measure.
Conclusions:
- Measuring deaths attributable to Clostridium difficile infection requires careful consideration of methodology.
- The 30-day post-infection timeframe offers a practical and more accurate approach to CDI mortality assessment than relying solely on death certificates.
- Further research may refine methods for optimal CDI-attributable death determination.
