title: Prevalence of Clostridium difficile infection presenting to US EDs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study is to determine the prevalence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) presenting to emergency departments (EDs) in the United States. Secondary objectives included defining the burden of CDI.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective, observational cohort study of 2006-2010 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample database of 980 US hospital EDs in 29 states. Prevalence, mortality rate, length of stay, hospital charges, and endemicity were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 474513 patients with CDI-related ED visits were identified. From 2006 to 2010, the prevalence of CDI increased from 26.2 to 33.1 per 100,000 population (P<.001). The number of CDI-related ED cases increased 26.1% (P<.001) over the study period: 18.6% from 2006 to 2007 (P<.001), 4.3% from 2007 to 2008 (P=.46), 1.8% from 2008 to 2009 (P=.73), and 0.13% from 2009 to 2010 (P=.95). Emergency department visits occurred more frequently with individuals 85 years or older (relative risk [RR], 13.74; P<.001), females (RR, 1.77; P<.001) and in the northeast United States (RR, 1.42; P<.001). From 2009 to 2010, the mortality rate decreased 17.9% (P=.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of CDI presenting to EDs increased each year from 2006 to 2010; however, the rate of increase slowed from each year to the next. The mortality rate increased from 2006 to 2009 and decreased significantly from 2009 to 2010. C difficile infection visits presenting to EDs occurred more frequently with older individuals, females, and in the northeast.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Aaron M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Brandon A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Wuerth
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Wiemken
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA. Electronic address: F.Arnold@louisville.edu.
authors.forename: Forest W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Arnold
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016360:Clostridioides difficile; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult