Evaluating contemporary antibiotics as a risk factor for Clostridium difficile infection in surgical trauma patients

With most Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) occurring after exposure to antimicrobial treatment, specific antibiotics and duration of exposure were evaluated independently for increased risk of CDI in surgical patients.

A retrospective, case-control design was used to study surgical inpatients. The case group had a positive Clostridium difficile toxin assay, whereas the control group did not.

Four antibiotics had a risk that was statistically significant for causing CDI in surgical patients: cefepime (odds ratio [OR], 5.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-19.1; p = 0.0044), imipenem/cilastatin (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.2-8.9; p = 0.0388), piperacillin/tazobactam (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3-4.5; p = 0.0067), and vancomycin (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.0-3.5; p = 0.0439). Exposure longer than 7 days to cefepime (p = 0.0006), piperacillin/tazobactam (p = 0.0021), and imipenem/cilastatin (p = 0.0171) also increased risk for development of CDI.

The use of cefepime, imipenem/cilastatin, piperacillin/tazobactam, and vancomycin and the use of multiple classes of antibiotics for at least 7 days significantly increased the risk of CDI in surgical inpatients.