High delayed mortality after the first episode of Clostridium difficile infection.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is characterized by a high delayed and unrelated mortality. Predicting delayed mortality in CDI patients could allow the implementation of interventions that could reduce these events. A prospective multicentric study was carried out to investigate prognostic factors associated with mortality. It was based on a cohort (July 2015 to February 2016) of 295 patients presenting with CDI. Logistic regression was used and the model was calibrated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. The mortality rate at 75 days in our series was 18%. Age (>65 years), comorbidity (defined by heart failure, diabetes mellitus with any organ lesion, renal failure, active neoplasia or immunosuppression) and fecal incontinence at clinical presentation were associated with delayed (75-day) mortality. When present, each of the aforementioned variables added one point to the score. Mortalities with 0, 1, 2 and 3 points were 0%, 9.4%, 18.5% and 38.2%, respectively. The area under the ROC curve was 0.743, and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test p value was 0.875. Therefore, the prediction of high delayed mortality in CDI patients by our scoring system could promote measures for increasing survival in suitable cases.

Prediction of recurrent clostridium difficile infection at the bedside: the GEIH-CDI score.

Recurrence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has major consequences for both patients and the health system. The ability to predict which patients are at increased risk of recurrent CDI makes it possible to select candidates for treatment with new drugs and therapies (including fecal microbiota transplantation) that have proven to reduce the incidence of recurrence of CDI. Our objective was to develop a clinical prediction tool, the GEIH-CDI score, to determine the risk of recurrence of CDI. Predictors of recurrence of CDI were investigated using logistic regression in a prospective cohort of 274 patients diagnosed with CDI. The model was calibrated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. The tool comprises four factors: age (70-79 years and ≥80 years), history of CDI during the previous year, direct detection of toxin in stool, and persistence of diarrhea on the fifth day of treatment. The functioning of the GEIH-CDI score was validated in a prospective cohort of 183 patients. The area under the ROC curve was 0.72 (0.65-0.79). Application of the tool makes it possible to select patients at high risk (>50%) of recurrence and patients at low risk (<10%) of recurrence. GEIH-CDI score may be useful for clinicians treating patients with CDI.