Highlights
- •We identified risk factors for Clostridium difficile infection in oncology patients.
- •Risk factors evaluated included demographic variables, cancer treatment, and antibiotic use.
- •Age, prior blood transfusion, and receipt of specific antibiotic classes were associated with Clostridium difficile infection.
- •Prior history of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) was a highly significant risk factor for CDI.
- •Hospitalized oncology patients may be particularly high risk for Clostridium difficile infection.
The epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) among oncology inpatients is poorly understood. In multivariate analysis
we identified age, history of CDI, and prior receipt of cephalosporins, β-lactam/β-lactamase
inhibitors, metronidazole, and blood transfusion as risk factors associated with CDI.
Reducing broad-spectrum antibiotic use, particularly among older patients and those
with a CDI history and recent blood transfusions, may decrease CDI risk in this population.
Key Words
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to American Journal of Infection ControlAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Epidemiology of community-associated Clostridium difficile infection, 2009 through 2011.JAMA Intern Med. 2013; 173: 1359-1367
- Clostridium difficile diarrhea induced by cancer chemotherapy.Arch Intern Med. 1992; 152: 1715-1717
- Multidrug-resistant organism & Clostridium difficile infection (MDRO/CDI) module.(January; Available from:) (Accessed March 20, 2016)
- Risk factors for Clostridium difficile infection.J Hosp Infect. 1998; 40: 1-15
- Clostridium difficile infection among children with cancer.Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2011; 30: 610-612
- Allogeneic blood transfusion increases the risk of postoperative bacterial infection: a meta-analysis.J Trauma. 2003; 54: 908-914
- Asymptomatic carriers are a potential source for transmission of epidemic and nonepidemic Clostridium difficile strains among long-term care facility residents.Clin Infect Dis. 2007; 45: 992-998
- Clostridium difficile infection: responses, relapses and re-infections.J Hosp Infect. 1992; 22: 85-92
- Risk factors for acquisition of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea among outpatients at a cancer hospital.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2005; 26: 680-684
- Emergence of fluoroquinolones as the predominant risk factor for Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea: a cohort study during an epidemic in Quebec.Clin Infect Dis. 2005; 41: 1254-1260
Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 07, 2016
Footnotes
Previous Presentation The data in the manuscript was presented in part as an abstract at ID Week 2015; October 9, 2015; San Diego, CA (abstract 931).
Conflicts of Interest: None to report.
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
