Postop C diff infection linked to increased mortality, morbidity

Editor's Note

Patients at Veterans Affairs hospitals who developed postoperative Clostridium difficile infections had a five times higher risk of mortality and a twelve times higher risk of morbidity in this study.

This analysis of nearly 500,000 surgical procedures found that out of more than 1,800 patients who developed C diff, 86% had one or more complications. Only 7.1% of patients who did not develop C diff experienced complications.

For C diff patients, 30-day mortality was 5.3%, compared with 1% of those without C diff. Patients with C diff also had longer hospital stays (17.9 vs 3.6 days).

The number of different antibiotic classes administered within 60 days before surgery was significantly associated with C diff. 

This study analyzes and reports Importance Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) rates, risk factors, and associations with postoperative outcomes in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Objective To report 30-day postoperative CDI rates and outcomes and identify associated risks by surgical procedures and preoperative patient demographics in a large integrated health care system.