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Multicenter Study
. 2013 Jul;57(1):1-8.
doi: 10.1093/cid/cit155. Epub 2013 Mar 26.

Clostridium difficile infection is associated with increased risk of death and prolonged hospitalization in children

Julia Shaklee Sammons  1 , Russell Localio, Rui Xiao, Susan E Coffin, Theoklis Zaoutis
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Clostridium difficile infection is associated with increased risk of death and prolonged hospitalization in children

Julia Shaklee Sammons et al. Clin Infect Dis. 2013 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality among adults. However, outcomes are poorly defined among children.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed among hospitalized children at 41 children's hospitals between January 2006 and August 2011. Patients with CDI (exposed) were matched 1:2 to patients without CDI (unexposed) based on the probability of developing CDI (propensity score derived from patient characteristics). Exposed subjects were stratified by C. difficile test date, suggestive of community-onset (CO) versus hospital-onset (HO) CDI. Outcomes were analyzed for matched subjects.

Results: We identified 5107 exposed and 693 409 unexposed subjects. Median age was 6 years (interquartile range [IQR], 2-13 years) for exposed and 8 years (IQR, 3-14 years) for unexposed subjects. Of these, 4474 exposed were successfully matched to 8821 unexposed by propensity score. In-hospital mortality differed significantly (CDI, 1.43% vs matched unexposed, 0.66%; P < .001). Mortality rates were similar between CO-CDI and matched subjects. However, mortality rates were significantly greater among HO-CDI compared with matched unexposed (odds ratio, 6.73 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 3.77-12.02]). Mean differences in length of stay (LOS) and total cost were significant: 5.55 days (95% CI, 4.54-6.56 days) and $18 900 (95% CI, $15 100-$22 700) for CO-CDI, and 21.60 days (95% CI, 19.29-23.90 days) and $93 600 (95% CI, $80 000-$107 200) for HO-CDI.

Conclusions: Pediatric CDI is associated with increased mortality, longer LOS, and higher costs. These findings underscore the importance of antibiotic stewardship and infection control programs to prevent this disease in children.

Keywords: C. difficile infection; epidemiology; outcomes; pediatrics.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Assembly of cohort. Abbreviation: CDI, Clostridium difficile infection.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Length of stay and Clostridium difficile infection.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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