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Updated: Aug 25, 2025
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation via Colonoscopy for Recurrent C. difficile Infection
Published on: December 8, 2014
Risk factors for clostridium difficile infection in general surgery patients
Alexis Hess1, Saskya Byerly1, Emily Lenart1
1Department of General Surgery, University of Tennesse Health Science Center, 920 Madison Avenue, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA.
Background:
Clostridium Difficile Infection (CDI) is a significant cause of mortality. This study aims to identify predictors of CDI in general surgery patients.
Methods:
Patients who underwent general surgery operations in the 2019 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database were identified with demographic, intervention, and outcome data abstracted. Patients with CDI and no CDI were compared by univariate analysis. Multivariable logistic regression (MLR) was performed to determine independent predictors of CDI.
Results:
Of 436,831 surgical patients, 1,840 patients were diagnosed with CDI (0.4%). Patients with CDI have a higher mortality (2.1% vs 0.76%,p < 0.0001), longer length of stay (7 days vs 1 day, p < 0.0001), and are less likely to undergo a laparoscopic procedure (29.9% vs 37.5%, p < 0.0001). MLR identified older age, emergent operation, increased time to operation, surgical site infection, deep organ space infection, steroid use, metastatic cancer, smoking, and decreased body mass index (BMI) as independent predictors of CDI.
Conclusions:
CDI is rare following general surgery. Infections, delay to operation, and emergency operations are associated with CDI.
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