Table 1.

Clinical characteristics of 84 patients with positive stool culture for C. difficile based on the presence [patients with confirmed C. difficile infection (CDI)] or absence (patients with probable CDI) of toxin genes of isolates

Characteristic	Confirmed CDI (toxin gene-positive) (n = 50)	Probable CDI (toxin gene-negative) (n = 34)	P value
Age, years	59 ± 23	58 ± 20	0·88
Sex			0·38
Female	21 (42%)	18 (52·9%)
Male	29 (58%)	16 (47·1%)
Underlying disease
Any	37 (74%)	26 (76·5%)	1·00
Solid tumour	9 (18%)	7 (20·6%)	0·78
Haematological malignancy	19 (38%)	15 (44·1%)	0·65
Endocrine diseases	13 (26%)	6 (17·6%)	0·43
Cardiovascular diseases	3 (6%)	1 (2·9%)	0·64
Genitourinary diseases	12 (24%)	3 (8·8%)	0·13
Operation	11 (22%)	10 (29·4%)	0·33
Antibiotic therapy
Any	29 (58%)	22 (64·7%)	0·65
Penicillins	3 (6%)	4 (11·8%)	0·41
Cephalosporins
Any	11 (22%)	9 (26·5%)	0·57
First generation	1 (2%)	3 (8·8%)	0·29
Second generation	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Third generation	4 (8%)	4 (11·8%)	0·69
Fourth generation	6 (12%)	2 (5·9%)	0·46
Fluoroquinolones	3 (6%)	3 (8·8%)	0·67
Carbapenems	7 (14%)	4 (11·8%)	1·00
Vancomycin	2 (4%)	1 (2·9%)	1·00
Metronidazole	1 (2%)	1 (2·9%)	1·00
Others	4 (8%)	0 (0%)	0·15
Steroid use	22 (44%)	16 (47·1%)	0·82
Anti-peptic ulcer drugs
Proton pump inhibitor	35 (70%)	14 (41·2%)	0·02
H2 blocker	4 (8%)	3 (8·8%)	1·00
Symptoms
Fever	20 (40%)	14 (41·2%)	0·90
Abdominal discomfort	11 (22%)	6 (17·6%)	0·84
Invasive diseases (bacteraemia)	6 (12%)	7 (20·6%)	0·36
Overall mortality	10 (20%)	3 (8·8%)	0·35

Bold values indicate significant difference (P < 0·05).

Values given are mean ± standard deviation or n (%).