Document Detail


Laboratory markers as predictors of mortality in patients with Clostridium difficile infection.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19794314     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Previous studies have identified laboratory markers for severe Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). The most consistent of these markers is the presence of marked leukocytosis. We examined the validity of these markers as predictors of mortality in patients with CDI. We excluded patients with preexisting hematologic conditions that would be expected to impair their ability to demonstrate leukocytosis. On univariate analysis, marked leukocytosis (P = 0.02), thrombocytopenia (P = 0.008), and increased blood urea nitrogen (P < 0.001) and creatinine (P = 0.001) levels were found to be significantly associated with mortality in patients with CDI. However, on logistic regression analysis, only renal impairment was found to be an independent predictor (odds ratio, 5.07). Importantly, in our study, leukocytosis was not an independent predictor after adjustment for other variables, which may be due to our selection criteria when adjusting for confounding variables. We are therefore of the opinion that in immunocompromised hosts who are leukopenic at the time of CDI diagnosis, other laboratory markers should be identified to serve as indicators for severe disease.
Authors:
Chaitanya Pant; Phillip Madonia; Anil Minocha; Kenneth Manas; Paul Jordan; Pat Bass
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research     Volume:  58     ISSN:  1708-8267     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Investig. Med.     Publication Date:  2010 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-01-06     Completed Date:  2010-03-10     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9501229     Medline TA:  J Investig Med     Country:  Canada    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  43-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, Shreveport, 71103-4228, USA. cpant@lsuhsc.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Aged
Biological Markers
Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / blood,  mortality*,  physiopathology
Female
Humans
Kidney / physiopathology
Leukocytosis / etiology
Male
Middle Aged
Retrospective Studies
Serum Albumin / analysis
Thrombocytopenia / etiology
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Biological Markers; 0/Serum Albumin

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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