Outcomes and Risk Factors Associated with Clostridium difficile Diarrhea in Hospitalized Adult Patients

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Gastroenterology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) epidemiology is evolving.
• Monitoring patient characteristics and prognostic factors for CDI is crucial.
• Understanding risk factors is essential for managing hospital-acquired infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors associated with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI).
• To determine factors linked to poor prognosis in patients with documented CDI colitis.
• To analyze predictors of CDI in hospital-acquired diarrhea cases.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case-control study.
• Involved 75 patients with CDI colitis and 75 controls with other causes of hospital-acquired diarrhea.
• Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis was employed.

Main Results:

• Previous antibiotic treatment (OR, 13.3), abdominal distension (OR, 3.85), and fecal leukocytes (OR, 8.79) predicted CDI colitis.
• Anorexia showed a negative association with CDI (OR, 0.15).
• Enteral tube feeding independently predicted adverse outcomes (OR, 3.75), including mortality and ICU admission.

Conclusions:

• Previous antibiotic use and fecal leukocytes are key predictors of CDI.
• Enteral tube support is associated with complications in CDI patients.
• Identifying and monitoring high-risk patients is vital for improving CDI outcomes.