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Clostridium difficile Colitis: Factors Associated with Outcome and Assessment of Mortality at a National Level

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Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery Aims and scope

Abstract

Background

Previous descriptions of Clostridium difficile colitis (CDC) epidemics may overestimate cost and mortality of CDC.

Methods

An analysis of the 2007 Nationwide Inpatient Sample was performed. Patients with CDC (N = 41,207) were compared to a propensity score-matched cohort of patients without CDC.

Results

Average length of stay was longer for CDC patients by 5 days (p < 0.001). Mortality was higher for the CDC cohort (9.4% vs. 8.6%; p < 0.001) though the absolute difference was small. Mean hospital costs were 56% higher for CDC patients (p < 0.001). Higher odds of death with CDC were associated with small hospitals and self-pay patients. Chronic renal failure and diabetes were associated with lower hospital costs and lower odds of death in the CDC cohort.

Conclusions

CDC is not as deadly of a disease as it may be perceived to be at larger hospitals, and mortality was actually unaffected by certain serious comorbidities. CDC is expensive due to a longer hospital stay.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Division of Colon & Rectal Surgery, College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, 500 University Drive, H137, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA

    David B. Stewart & Christopher S. Hollenbeak

  2. Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA

    Christopher S. Hollenbeak

Authors
  1. David B. Stewart
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  2. Christopher S. Hollenbeak
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to David B. Stewart.

Additional information

Work was performed in the Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA.

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Stewart, D.B., Hollenbeak, C.S. Clostridium difficile Colitis: Factors Associated with Outcome and Assessment of Mortality at a National Level. J Gastrointest Surg 15, 1548–1555 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-011-1615-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-011-1615-6

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