Table 3.
Univariate and multivariate analysis for major cumulative complications #.
| Variable | None or Minor Complications |
Cumulative Major Complications |
Univariate p Value | Hazard Ratio (95% CI) |
Multiv. p Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median cumulative age | 77 (67–83) | 82 (72–86) | <0.001 | ||
| Age > 81 § years | 116 (32.0%) | 61 (55.5%) | <0.001 | 2.90 (1.77–4.75) | <0.001 |
| Sex (Male) | 111 (32.2%) | 26 (24.8%) | 0.183 | ||
| ED Presentation and not Ed presentation | |||||
| Antibiotic therapy | 317 (90.3%) | 92 (93.6%) | 0.286 | ||
| Previous clostridium infection | 87 (25.2%) | 31 (29.5%) | 0.378 | ||
| Fever | 126 (36.5%) | 45 (42.9%) | 0.252 | ||
| Abdominal pain | 74 (21.4%) | 14 (13.3%) | 0.069 | ||
| Vomit | 34 (9.9%) | 15 (14.3%) | 0.212 | ||
| Dyspnea | 29(8.4%) | 23 (21.9%) | 0.001 | 1.45 (0.89–2.34) | 0.130 |
| Syncope | 15 (4.3%) | 4 (3.8%) | 1.000 | ||
| Malaise/fatigue | 36 (10.4%) | 16 (15.2%) | 0.221 | ||
| Gastrointestinal bleeding | 9 (2.6%) | 3 (2.9%) | 1.000 | ||
| qSOFA score | 0 (0–1) | 0 (0–1) | 0.184 | ||
| Laboratory Values | |||||
| Serum Creatinine mg/dL | 0.92 (0.68–1.49) | 1.21 (0.74–2.25) | 0.012 | ||
| Creatinine > 2.5 § mg/dL | 33 (9.1%) | 24 (21.8%) | <0.001 | 1.64 (1.01–2.67) | 0.047 |
| WBC (Cells × 109/L) | 10.65 (7.61–14.94) | 14.02 (9.01–21.2) | <0.001 | ||
| WBC > 13.31 § (Cells × 109/L) | 107 (29.6%) | 57 (51.8%) | <0.001 | 1.61 (1.07–2.42) | 0.022 |
| Serum Albumin (µmol/L) | 28 (24–32) | 25 (21–29) | 0.001 | ||
| Albumin ≤ 30 § (µmol/L) | 242 (66.9%) | 88 (80.0%) | 0.008 | 1.45 (0.88–2.37) | 0.141 |
| Comorbidities | |||||
| Charlson Comorbidity Index | 4 (3–5) | 5 (4–6) | 0.002 | ||
| Charlson Index > 3 § | 233 (64.4%) | 83 (75.5%) | 0.030 | 1.13 (0.60–2.14) | 0.701 |
| Ischemic heart disease | 43 (12.5%) | 11 (10.5%) | 0.732 | ||
| Congestive heart failure | 40 (11.8%) | 24 (22.9%) | 0.006 | ||
| Peripheral vascular disease | 70 (20.3%) | 24 (22.9%) | 0.585 | ||
| Dementia | 25 (7.2%) | 12 (11.4%) | 0.221 | ||
| COPD | 37 (10.7%) | 21 (20.0%) | 0.019 | ||
| Diabetes | 45 (13.0%) | 16 (15.2%) | 0.625 | ||
| Chronic kidney disease | 28 (8.1%) | 9 (8.6%) | 0.841 | ||
| Rheumatologic disease | 5 (1.4%) | 0 | 0.595 | ||
| HIV infection | 2 (0.6%) | 1 (1.0%) | 0.550 | ||
| Leukemia/Lymphoma | 9 (2.6%) | 5.7 (7.3%) | 0.128 | ||
| Solid Malignancy | 24 (7.0%) | 11 (10.5%) | 0.296 | ||
| Outcomes | |||||
| Length of Hospital Stay (days) | 8.8 (4.7–14.1) | 16.0 (6.7–30.5) | <0.001 | ||
| Readmission in ED in 60 days | 34 (9.9%) | 5 (4.8%) | 0.116 |
Abbreviations: WBC—white blood cell; qSOFA—quick sequential organ failure assessment; COPD—chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. § Cutoff values are chosen according to Youden index (J) in ROC analysis with respect to death. # Major cumulative complications include death, admission to ICU/ventilation, sepsis, colon surgery.