Evaluation of a risk assessment model to predict infection with healthcare facility-onset Clostridioides difficile

We evaluated a previously published risk model (Novant model) to identify patients at risk for healthcare facility-onset Clostridioides difficile infection (HCFO-CDI) at 2 hospitals within a large health system and compared its predictive value to that of a new model developed based on local findings.

We conducted a retrospective case-control study including adult patients admitted from July 1, 2016, to July 1, 2018. Patients with HCFO-CDI who received systemic antibiotics were included as cases and were matched 1 to 1 with controls (who received systemic antibiotics without developing HCFO-CDI). We extracted chart data on patient risk factors for CDI, including those identified in prior studies and those included in the Novant model. We applied the Novant model to our patient population to assess the model's utility and generated a local model using logistic regression-based prediction scores. A receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (ROC-AUC) score was determined for each model.

We included 362 patients, with 161 controls and 161 cases. The Novant model had a ROC-AUC of 0.62 in our population. Our local model using risk factors identifiable at hospital admission included hospitalization within 90 days of admission (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.06-6.04), hematologic malignancy (adjusted OR, 12.87; 95% CI, 3.70-44.80), and solid tumor malignancy (adjusted OR, 4.76; 95% CI, 1.27-17.80) as HCFO-CDI predictors and had a ROC-AUC score of 0.74.

The Novant model evaluating risk factors identifiable at admission poorly predicted HCFO-CDI in our population, while our local model was a fair predictor. These findings highlight the need for institutions to review local risk factors to adjust modeling for their patient population.