Table 2.
Demographic characteristics, previous and concomitant medication use, and laboratory parameters at the time of CDI diagnosis in surviving and deceased patients in the prepandemic CDI group.
| Variable | Prepandemic CDI Group—Recovered Patients (284) |
Prepandemic CDI Group—Deceased Patients (20) |
Test | df | p * |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | |||||
| Age | 65.2 ± 11.7 | 70.2 ± 11.5 | 1.824 | 302 | 0.069 |
| Male gender | 117 (41.3) | 12 (60.0) | 2.66 | 1 | 0.103 |
| Comorbidities | |||||
| Cardiovascular diseases | 92 (32.4) | 10 (50.0) | 2.598 | 1 | 0.107 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 144 (50.7) | 12 (60.0) | 15.304 | 2 | <0.001 |
| Gastrointestinal tract diseases | 76 (26.8) | 6 (30.0) | 0.1 | 1 | 0.752 |
| Chronic renal failure | 65 (22.9) | 6 (30.0) | 0.528 | 1 | 0.467 |
| Chronic liver disease | 33 (11.6) | 3 (15.0) | 0.204 | 1 | 0.651 |
| Malignancy | 39 (13.7) | 2 (10.0) | 0.223 | 1 | 0.637 |
| Neurological diseases | 56 (19.7) | 6 (30.0) | 1.217 | 1 | 0.27 |
| Chronic obstructive lung disease | 41 (14.4) | 6 (30.0) | 3.463 | 1 | 0.063 |
| Autoimmune disorder | 25 (8.8) | 1 (5.0) | 0.345 | 1 | 0.557 |
| Hematological malignancy | 10 (3.5) | 0 (0.0) | 0.728 | 1 | 0.393 |
| Charlson comorbidity score | 2.29 ± 1.33 | 2.90 ± 1.45 | 1.976 | 302 | 0.049 |
| Treatment before CDI | |||||
| Antibiotics | |||||
| Number of antibiotics before the infection | 1.06 ± 0.48 | 1.85 ± 0.74 | 6.804 | 302 | <0.001 |
| Cephalosporin of the III generation | 121 (42.6) | 16 (80.0) | 10.554 | 1 | 0.001 |
| Fluoroquinolone | 106 (37.3) | 13 (65.0) | 6.055 | 2 | 0.048 |
| Amoxicillin–clavulanic acid | 16 (5.6) | 1 (5.0) | 0.005 | 1 | 0.946 |
| Macrolide | 25 (8.8) | 1 (5.0) | 0.345 | 1 | 0.557 |
| Other antibiotics | 29 (10.2) | 5 (25.0) | 4.114 | 1 | 0.043 |
| Antimotility drugs | 15 (5.3) | 1 (5.0) | 0.003 | 1 | 0.957 |
| Proton pump inhibitors | 111 (39.1) | 13 (65.0) | 5.196 | 1 | 0.023 |
| Corticosteroid treatment | 24 (8.5) | 5 (25.0) | 5.93 | 1 | 0.015 |
| Chemotherapy | 23 (8.1) | 2 (10.0) | 0.09 | 1 | 0.765 |
| Laboratory findings at the moment of CDI diagnosis | |||||
| Albumin (g/L) | |||||
| >25 | 253 (89.1) | 14 (70.0) | 6.366 | 1 | 0.012 |
| ≤25 | 31 (10.9) | 6 (30.0) | |||
| Creatinine (mmol/L) | |||||
| ≤200 | 158 (55.6) | 12 (60.0) | 0.203 | 2 | 0.904 |
| >200 | 125 (44.0) | 8 (40.0) | |||
| Leucocytes | |||||
| ≤15 × 109/L | 156 (54.9) | 0 (0.0) | 22.566 | 1 | <0.001 |
| >15 × 109/L | 128 (45.1) | 20 (100.0) | |||
| CRP (mg/L) | 116.67 ± 69.02 | 288.65 ± 48.77 | 10.944 | 302 | <0.001 |
| Concomitant therapy | |||||
| Antibiotics | 146 (51.4) | 20 (100.0) | 17.797 | 1 | <0.001 |
| Proton pump inhibitors | 63 (22.2) | 4 (20.0) | 0.052 | 1 | 0.82 |
| Corticosteroids | 24 (8.5) | 1 (5.0) | 0.295 | 1 | 0.587 |
* 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.