RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Harbingers for Clostridium difficile-Associated Diarrhea
JF Journal of Investigative Medicine
JO J Investig Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 40
OP 42
DO 10.2310/JIM.0b013e318193f513
VO 57
IS 1
A1 Chaitanya Pant
A1 Phillip N. Madonia
A1 Paul Jordan
A1 Kenneth Manas
A1 Pat Bass III
YR 2009
UL http://hw-f5-jim.highwire.org/content/57/1/40.abstract
AB Purpose Recent research has recognized surrogate markers for Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD). Among the most consistently identified markers are the leukocyte count, platelet count, and albumin level. Previous investigators failed to exclude patients with hematologic disorders that may have confounded their results. Therefore, the exclusion of this subset from our study lends it a unique perspective.Methods We undertook a retrospective review of inpatients at our institution that were diagnosed with nosocomial diarrhea and subsequently had a stool sample sent for C. difficile toxins A and B. Patients with major hematologic disorders were excluded.Results A total of 77 C. difficile-positive patients and 91 C. difficile-negative patients were studied. Patients with CDAD had a significantly higher leukocyte and platelet count but a lower albumin level compared with patients without CDAD.Conclusion Our results support the conclusion of preceding studies that leukocytosis, thrombocytosis, and hypoalbuminemia are reliable clinical predictors for CDAD even after careful exclusion of confounding factors.