Table III.
Toxin immunoassay and Vero cell rounding results as markers of severity in patients with symptomatic CDI
| EIA + (n=18) | EIA – (n=23) | Vero cell + (n=20) | Vero cell – (n=21) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symptoms | ||||
| Fever | 4 (22%) | 9 (39%) | 4 (20%) | 9 (43%) |
| Blood in stools | 8 (44%) | 7 (30%) | 7 (35%) | 8 (38%) |
| Number of stools1 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 8 (6–12) | 7 (4–10) |
| Vomiting | 5 (28%) | 10 (43%) | 8 (40%) | 7 (33%) |
| Abdominal pain | 16 (89%) | 16 (70%) | 16 (80%) | 16 (76%) |
| Laboratory Values | ||||
| WBC (median, IQR) (n=34) | 6.6 (4.6, 10.5) | 6.2 (2.9, 10.7) | 7.2 (4.6, 12) | 5.8 (3.9, 8.5) |
| CRP (median, IQR) (n=20) | 6.7 (2.8, 9.8) | 8.5 (1.3, 73.3) | 7.6 (2, 10) | 8.5 (2.3, 129.2) |
| ESR (median, IQR) (n=19) | 9.5 (5.5, 16.5) | 30 (12, 37) | 12.5 (6, 19) | 30 (7, 37) |
| Albumin (median, IQR) (n=28) | 4.2 (3.5, 4.2) | 3.8 (3.5, 4.2) | 4.2 (3.5, 4.2) | 3.8 (3.5, 4.2) |
| Relapse in 60 days following CDI (n=11) | 6 (33%) | 5 (22%) | 7 (35%) | 4 (19%) |
1
Maximum number of stools in 24 hours; mean.
CDI, C. difficile infection; CRP, C-reactive protein; EIA, enzyme immunoassay; ESR, erythocyte sedimentation rate; IQR, interquartile range; WBC, white blood cell count