Table 1.
Demographic characteristics, previous and concomitant medication use, laboratory parameters at the time of CDI diagnosis, as well as the outcome of treatment in the examined groups of patients.
| Variable | CDI before COVID-19 (n = 304) |
CDI and COVID-19 Coinfection (n = 387) | Test | df | p * |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | |||||
| Age | 65.6 ± 11.7 | 72.8 ± 9.4 | −8.933 | 689 | <0.001 |
| Male gender | 129 (42.6) | 231 (59.8) | 21.432 | 2 | <0.001 |
| Comorbidities | |||||
| Cardiovascular diseases | 102 (33.6) | 147 (38.0) | 1.451 | 1 | 0.228 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 156 (51.3) | 211 (54.5) | 1.904 | 2 | 0.386 |
| Gastrointestinal tract diseases | 82 (27.0) | 90 (23.3) | 1.259 | 1 | 0.262 |
| Chronic renal failure | 71 (23.4) | 131 (33.9) | 9.065 | 1 | 0.003 |
| Chronic liver disease | 36 (11.8) | 46 (11.9) | 0 | 1 | 0.986 |
| Malignancy | 41 (13.5) | 94 (24.3) | 12.639 | 1 | <0.001 |
| Neurological diseases | 62 (20.4) | 71 (18.3) | 0.46 | 1 | 0.498 |
| Chronic obstructive lung disease | 47 (15.5) | 88 (22.7) | 5.738 | 1 | 0.017 |
| Autoimmune disorder | 26 (8.6) | 24 (6.2) | 1.402 | 1 | 0.236 |
| Hematological malignancy | 10 (3.3) | 19 (4.9) | 1.111 | 1 | 0.292 |
| Charlson comorbidity score | 2.33 ± 1.34 | 3.06 ± 1.54 | −6.584 | 689 | <0.001 |
| Treatment before CDI | |||||
| Antibiotics | |||||
| Cephalosporin of the III generation | 137 (45.1) | 181 (46.8) | 0.199 | 1 | 0.655 |
| Fluoroquinolone | 119 (39.1) | 175 (45.2) | 4.897 | 2 | 0.086 |
| Amoxicillin–clavulanic acid | 17 (5.6) | 28 (7.2) | 0.736 | 1 | 0.391 |
| Macrolide | 26 (8.6) | 149 (38.5) | 80.748 | 1 | <0.001 |
| Other antibiotics | 34 (11.2) | 32 (8.3) | 1.675 | 1 | 0.196 |
| Antimotility drugs | 16 (5.3) | 7 (1.8) | 6.314 | 1 | 0.012 |
| Proton pump inhibitors | 124 (40.8) | 292 (75.5) | 85.381 | 1 | <0.001 |
| Corticosteroid treatment | 29 (9.5) | 83 (21.4) | 17.775 | 1 | <0.001 |
| Chemotherapy | 25 (8.2) | 57 (14.7) | 6.889 | 1 | 0.009 |
| Laboratory findings at the moment of CDI diagnosis | |||||
| Albumin (g/L) | |||||
| <25 | 37 (12.2) | 76 (19.6) | 10.968 | 2 | 0.004 |
| 25–30 | 109 (35.9) | 102 (26.4) | |||
| >30 | 158 (52.0) | 209 (54.0) | |||
| Creatinine (mmol/L) | |||||
| ≤200 | 171 (56.2) | 265 (68.5) | 12.431 | 2 | 0.002 |
| >200 | 133 (43.8) | 122 (31.5) | |||
| Leucocytes | |||||
| ≤15 × 109/L | 156 (51.3) | 217 (56.1) | 1.551 | 1 | 0.213 |
| >15 × 109/L | 148 (48.7) | 170 (43.9) | |||
| CRP (mg/L) | 128.0 ± 80.14 | 133.4 ± 75.24 | −0.923 | 689 | 0.357 |
| Concomitant treatment | |||||
| Antibiotics | 166 (54.6) | 237 (100.0) | 144.426 | 1 | <0.001 |
| Proton pump inhibitors | 67 (22.0) | 220 (100.0) | 313.146 | 1 | <0.001 |
| Corticosteroids | 25 (8.2) | 55 (100.0) | 226.515 | 1 | <0.001 |
| Outcome | |||||
| Lethal | 20 (6.6) | 114 (29.5) | 57.01 | 1 | <0.001 |
* Categorical variables are presented as n (%), while the differences between groups were assessed using the χ2-test. Continuous variables are presented as ± SD, while the differences between groups were compared using the t-test according to the distribution; df: degree of freedom; CDI: Clostridium difficile infection; COVID-19: Coronavirus disease 2019 (infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus); CRP: C-reactive protein.