Abstract
Clostridium difficile testing is shifting from toxin detection to C. difficile detection. Yet, up to 60% of patients with C. difficile by culture test negative for toxins and it is unclear whether they are infected or carriers. We reviewed medical records for 7046 inpatients with a C. difficile toxin test from 2005 to 2009 to determine the duration of diarrhea and rate of complications and mortality among toxin-positive (toxin+) and toxin- patients. Overall, toxin- patients had less severe diarrhea, fewer diarrhea days, and lower mortality (P < 0.001, all comparisons) than toxin+ patients. One toxin- patient (n = 1/6121; 0.02%) was diagnosed with pseudomembranous colitis, but there were no complications such as megacolon or colectomy for fulminant CDI among toxin- patients. These data suggest that C. difficile-attributable complications are rare among patients testing negative for C. difficile toxins. More studies are needed to evaluate the clinical significance of C. difficile detection in toxin- patients.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 369-373 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease |
| Volume | 74 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2012 |
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Keywords
- Clostridium difficile
- Diarrhea
- Healthcare-associated infection
- Outcomes
- Toxin
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Microbiology (medical)
- Infectious Diseases
Cite this
Outcomes in patients tested for Clostridium difficile toxins. / Polage, Christopher R; Chin, David L.; Leslie, Jhansi L.; Tang, Jevon; Cohen, Stuart H; Solnick, Jay V.
In: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Vol. 74, No. 4, 12.2012, p. 369-373.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Outcomes in patients tested for Clostridium difficile toxins
AU - Polage, Christopher R
AU - Chin, David L.
AU - Leslie, Jhansi L.
AU - Tang, Jevon
AU - Cohen, Stuart H
AU - Solnick, Jay V
PY - 2012/12
Y1 - 2012/12
N2 - Clostridium difficile testing is shifting from toxin detection to C. difficile detection. Yet, up to 60% of patients with C. difficile by culture test negative for toxins and it is unclear whether they are infected or carriers. We reviewed medical records for 7046 inpatients with a C. difficile toxin test from 2005 to 2009 to determine the duration of diarrhea and rate of complications and mortality among toxin-positive (toxin+) and toxin- patients. Overall, toxin- patients had less severe diarrhea, fewer diarrhea days, and lower mortality (P < 0.001, all comparisons) than toxin+ patients. One toxin- patient (n = 1/6121; 0.02%) was diagnosed with pseudomembranous colitis, but there were no complications such as megacolon or colectomy for fulminant CDI among toxin- patients. These data suggest that C. difficile-attributable complications are rare among patients testing negative for C. difficile toxins. More studies are needed to evaluate the clinical significance of C. difficile detection in toxin- patients.
AB - Clostridium difficile testing is shifting from toxin detection to C. difficile detection. Yet, up to 60% of patients with C. difficile by culture test negative for toxins and it is unclear whether they are infected or carriers. We reviewed medical records for 7046 inpatients with a C. difficile toxin test from 2005 to 2009 to determine the duration of diarrhea and rate of complications and mortality among toxin-positive (toxin+) and toxin- patients. Overall, toxin- patients had less severe diarrhea, fewer diarrhea days, and lower mortality (P < 0.001, all comparisons) than toxin+ patients. One toxin- patient (n = 1/6121; 0.02%) was diagnosed with pseudomembranous colitis, but there were no complications such as megacolon or colectomy for fulminant CDI among toxin- patients. These data suggest that C. difficile-attributable complications are rare among patients testing negative for C. difficile toxins. More studies are needed to evaluate the clinical significance of C. difficile detection in toxin- patients.
KW - Clostridium difficile
KW - Diarrhea
KW - Healthcare-associated infection
KW - Outcomes
KW - Toxin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84869080321&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84869080321&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2012.08.019
DO - 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2012.08.019
M3 - Article
C2 - 23009731
AN - SCOPUS:84869080321
VL - 74
SP - 369
EP - 373
JO - Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
JF - Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
SN - 0732-8893
IS - 4
ER -