Mortality in hospitalized older adults associated with Clostridium difficile infection at a district hospital.
Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of hospital acquired infectious diarrhea in the developed world and has re-emerged in recent years with apparent greater morbidity and mortality. Despite this, there is little recent published data from the UK concerning associated mortality. We performed a case control study at a UK district general hospital of 66 hospitalized patients over the age of 65 years with C. difficile infection compared to 3-5 controls matched for age, sex and minimum length of stay. We found a significant excess mortality of 11.5% at seven days, 26.2% at 30 days, 38.1% at 90 days and 41.4% at 180 days. C. difficile infection in hospitalized elderly patients may contribute to long-term mortality or be a marker of poor prognosis and cases may require more intensive long-term follow up to improve mortality.
Clinical Microbiology & Public Health Laboratory, Health Protection Agency, Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK; ; Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust, Huntingdon, UK.
Johannis Andreas
JA
Karas
Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust, Huntingdon, UK.
Simon
S
Bradshaw
Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust, Huntingdon, UK.
Wabbas
W
Mahmud
Clinical Microbiology & Public Health Laboratory, Health Protection Agency, Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK;
David A
DA
Enoch
Clostridium difficile; mortality.