Table 1.
The characteristics of the study groups.
| Parameter | All Patients n = 122 |
Patients with CDI n = 23 |
Patients without CDI N = 99 |
p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years, Mean ± SD | 57.5 ± 10.8 | 57.8 ± 11.8 | 57.4 ± 10.7 | 0.874 |
| Mean follow-up, months, Median, (IQR) | 7 (2–15) | 7 (2.5–15.5) | 7 (2–14.5) | 0.638 |
| Gender, male, n (%) | 80 (65.5) | 20 (86.9) | 60 (60.6) | 0.017 |
| Etiology of cirrhosis, n (%) | 0.030 | |||
| Alcohol | 77 (63.1) | 18 (78.3) | 59 (59.6) | |
| HBV | 26 (21.3) | 5 (21.7) | 21 (21.2) | |
| HCV | 19 (15.6) | 0 (0) | 19 (19.2) | |
| Child-Pugh class, n (%) | 0.045 | |||
| B | 37 (30.3) | 3 (13.1) | 34 (34.3) | |
| C | 85 (69.7) | 20 (86.9) | 65 (65.7) | |
| Child-Pugh score, Median, (IQR) | 10 (9–12) | 12 (10–12.5) | 10 (9–12) | 0.016 |
| MELD, Mean ± SD | 19.7 ± 6.1 | 21.6 ± 7.9 | 19.3 ± 5.5 | 0.095 |
| Grade 3 ascites, n (%) | 76 (62.3) | 18 (78.2) | 58 (58.6) | 0.079 |
| ALT, UI/L, Median, (IQR) | 33 (24–65) | 44 (31–66) | 32 (24–63) | 0.290 |
| Platelets × 105, Median, (IQR) | 118 (78–142) | 100 (76–128) | 122 (79–144) | 0.046 |
| INR, Median, (IQR) | 1.62 (1.4–1.95) | 1.9 (1.47–2.36) | 1.6 (1.38–1.9) | 0.059 |
| Total bilirubine, mg/dl, Median, (IQR) | 4.2 (1.79–7.72) | 7.28 (2.18–8.44) | 4.06 (1.79–7.08) | 0.203 |
| Albumin g/dl, Median, (IQR) | 2.19 (1.93–2.77) | 2.26 (1.98–2.9) | 2.17 (1.9–2.7) | 0.282 |
| Creatinine mg/dl, Median, (IQR) | 0.79 (0.64–1.22) | 0.81 (0.76–1.53) | 0.77 (0.63–1.18) | 0.211 |
| CRP, g/dl, Median, (IQR) | 2.9 (1.8–6.7) | 2.7 (2.1–7.9) | 2.9 (1.7–6.1) | 0.736 |
| SBP recurrence, n (%) | 18 (14.8) | 6 (26.1) | 12 (12.1) | 0.089 |
| Death, n (%) | 66 (54.1) | 14 (60.8) | 52 (52.5) | 0.496 |
| PPIs, n (%) | 26 (21.3) | 5 (21.7) | 21 (21.2) | 0.956 |
| BBs, n (%) | 88 (72.1) | 18 (78.2) | 70 (70.7) | 0.467 |
| Rifaximin, n (%) | 104 (85.2) | 20 (86.9) | 84 (84.8) | 0.797 |
| Number of admissions during follow-up, Mean ± SD | 2.27 ± 1.48 | 1.91 ± 1.41 | 2.36 ± 1.50 | 0.192 |
| Antibiotic treatment during follow-up, n (%) | 12 (9.8) | 2 (8.7) | 10 (10.1) | 0.838 |
| Total proteins ascites, Median, (IQR) | 1.1 (0.8–1.6) | 1.1 (0.8–1.46) | 1.1 (0.8–1.65) | 0.760 |
CDI: Clostridioides difficile infection; SD: standard deviation; IQR: interquartile range; HBV: hepatitis B virus; HCV: hepatitis C virus; MELD: Model for End-Stage Liver Disease; ALT: alanine aminotransferase; INR: International Normalized Ratio; CRP: C-reactive protein, SBP: spontaneous bacterial peritonitis; PPIs: proton pump inhibitors; BB: beta-blockers. The bold values are statistically significant.