Risks factors and outcomes of Clostridium difficile infection in patients with cancer: a matched case-control study

Abstract

Purpose: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of diarrhoea in hospitalised patients. Cancer populations are at high-risk for infection, but comprehensive evaluation in the current era of cancer care has not been performed. The objective of this study was to describe characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes of CDI in cancer patients. Methods: Fifty consecutive patients with CDI at a large Australian cancer centre (2013–2015) were identified from the hospital pathology database. Each case was matched by ward and hospital admission date to three controls without toxigenic CDI. Treatment and outcomes of infection were evaluated and potential risk factors were analysed us..