Co-morbidity, not age predicts adverse outcome in Clostridium difficile colitis

Table 1 Patient age and sex vs outcome at discharge (n, %, mean ± SD)

Variable	Alive	Dead	P value
Patient age (yrs)	76.1 ± 15.0	78.9 ± 13.5	0.383 (1, a)
Patient sex (M/F)	36/58	10/17	0.546 (2)
Age 1 (yrs)
23-79	45 (83%)	9 (17%)
80-97	48 (73%)	18 (27%)	0.192 (2)
Age 2 (yrs)
23-59	12 (92%)	1 (8%)
60-69	12 (75%)	4 (25%)
70-79	21 (84%)	4 (16%)
80-97	49 (73%)	18 (27%)	0.428 (2)
Age 3 (yrs)
23-59	12 (92%)	1 (8%)
60-69	12 (75%)	4 (25%)
70-79	21 (84%)	4 (16%)
80-89	37 (71%)	15 (29%)
90-97	12 (80%)	3 (20%)	0.577 (2)

(1):Student t test; (2):Fisher’s exact test; (a):Additional logistic regression analysis. Age (as continuous variable) did not predict adverse outcome or death (P = 0.382).

Table 2 Co-morbidity vs adverse outcome at discharge

Variable	Not predictive	Predictive	P value
Co-morbidity
Cardiac disease (1)	—	×	0.036
COPD	×	—	0.200
Dementia	×	—	0.075
Diabetes	×	—	0.622
Hypertension	×	—	0.387
Elevated BUN	—	×	0.039
High creatinine	×	—	0.106
Low creatinine clearance	×	—	0.928
Nutrition related
Tube-fed	×	—	0.241
Low serum total protein	—	×	0.034
Low serum albumin	—	×	0.001
Sepsis related
Aminoglycosides	×	—	0.034
Clindamycin	—	×	0.004
Penicillin-like (2)	—	×	0.035
Antibiotic use ＞ 4 wk	—	×	0.010
Use of ＞ 4 antibiotics	—	×	0.026
Fever (＞ 38.3 °C)	×	—	0.181
Infection ＞ 4 wk	—	×	0.007

Results are given as predictive or not predictive of death as the adverse outcome and were determined using logistic regression analysis. (1): 64 cardiac patients were identified with 19 deaths during hospitalization. (2): Excluding cephalosporins.