A Retrospective Study Analyzing the Appropriateness of Initial Treatment of Clostridium difficile in Patients with Active Malignancy
Table 1
Baseline characteristics of patients based on initial antibiotics choice.
Total
Metronidazole
Vancomycin
Combo
value
Age, median
71.0
73.5
67.0
71.0
0.18
Age, mean
69.9 ± 13.3
71.9 ± 13.8
68.6 ± 13.1
70.2 ± 12.8
0.32
Age, range
24 to 96
24 to 94
33 to 96
28 to 87
Gender
0.54
Female (%)
115 (58.4)
37 (63.8)
53 (57.6)
25 (53.2)
NS
Male (%)
82 (41.6)
21 (36.2)
39 (42.4)
22 (46.8)
NS
Race
0.45
Caucasian (%)
138 (70.1)
43 (74.1)
63 (68.5)
32 (68.1)
NS
African American (%)
21 (10.7)
4 (6.9)
13 (14.1)
4 (8.5)
NS
Other (%)
11 (5.6)
1 (1.7)
6 (6.5)
4 (8.5)
NS
Unknown (%)
27 (13.7)
10 (17.2)
10 (10.9)
7 (14.9)
NS
Severity of CDI
0.01
Severe CDI (%)
104 (52.8)
34 (58.6)
40 (43.5)
30 (63.8)
NS
Unknown (%)
82 (41.6)
24 (41.4)
45 (48.9)
13 (27.7)
<0.05
Nonsevere CDI (%)
11 (5.6)
0 (0.0)
7 (7.6)
4 (8.5)
NS
Sepsis
0.30
Present (%)
83 (42.1)
20 (34.5)
40 (43.5)
23 (48.9)
NS
Absent (%)
114 (57.9)
38 (65.5)
52 (56.5)
24 (51.1)
NS
Malignancy type
0.18
Colorectal (%)
24 (12.2)
5 (8.6)
10 (10.9)
9 (19.6)
NS
GI other than colorectal (%)
25 (12.8)
8 (13.8)
10 (10.9)
7 (15.2)
NS
Other solid (%)
91 (46.4)
26 (44.8)
50 (54.3)
15 (32.6)
<0.05#
Hematologic (%)
53 (27.0)
18 (31.0)
22 (23.9)
13 (28.3)
NS
Other (%)
3 (1.5)
1 (1.7)
0 (0.0)
2 (4.3)
NS
Malignancy stage
0.82
Local/regional (%)
46 (23.5)
11 (19.0)
22 (23.9)
13 (28.3)
NS
Metastatic (%)
86 (43.9)
26 (44.8)
42 (45.7)
18 (39.1)
NS
Hematologic (%)
53 (27.0)
18 (31.0)
22 (23.9)
13 (28.3)
NS
Unknown (%)
11 (5.6)
3 (5.2)
6 (6.5)
2 (4.3)
NS
Chemotherapy
0.32
Yes (%)
133 (67.5)
37 (63.8)
67 (72.8)
29 (61.7)
NS
No (%)
64 (32.5)
21 (36.2)
25 (27.2)
18 (38.3)
NS
Radiation
0.08
Yes (%)
46 (23.4)
11 (19.0)
28 (30.4)
7 (14.9)
NS
No (%)
151 (76.6)
47 (81.0)
64 (69.6)
40 (85.1)
NS
Surgery
0.85
Yes (%)
69 (35.0)
20 (34.5)
31 (33.7)
18 (38.3)
NS
No (%)
128 (65.0)
38 (65.5)
61 (66.3)
29 (61.7)
NS
Gastrointestinal. There is a statistical significance between the vancomycin group and the combination group. NS: not significant at the 0.05 level between the 3 groups.
