title: Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea and chronic renal insufficiency.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) is a common cause of mortality and morbidity in hospitalized patients. Some case reports have implicated renal failure as a risk factor for CDAD. The aim of this study was to assess whether chronic renal insufficiency is a risk factor for CDAD and whether it increases mortality and morbidity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed charts of 385 patients with diarrhea for CDAD, chronic renal insufficiency, mortality, and recurrence of CDAD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-seven patients had infection due to C difficile. There was no difference in the chronic renal insufficiency, mortality, and other comorbid conditions between patients who had C difficile infection and those who did not. The patients with CDAD and chronic renal insufficiency had significantly higher mortality and recurrence of CDAD than patients without chronic renal insufficiency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic renal insufficiency is not a risk factor for CDAD, but its presence with CDAD increases mortality and recurrence of CDAD.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Deaprtment of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Khurshid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yousuf
authors.forename: Mohammad G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Saklayen
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Markert
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Barde
authors.forename: Narasimh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gopalswamy
mesh_terms: D016360:Clostridioides difficile; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors