Patients admitted to the hospital with inflammatory bowel disease face a six-fold greater risk of death if they become infected with Clostridium difficile, according to an Imperial College London news release.
Researchers from Imperial College London and St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust examined NHS statistics on patient admissions from 2002-2008. After adjusting for differences between the groups, they found that IBD patients who contract C. difficile in the hospital are six times more likely to die in the hospital than patients who are admitted for IBD alone. The mortality rate for IBD patients with C. difficile at 30 days was 25 percent, compared to 3 percent for patients with IBD alone.
The results also showed that IBD patients with C. difficile have longer hospital stays, with a median length of stay of 26 days compared to five days for patients with IBD alone. IBD patients with C. difficile are also almost twice as likely to need gastrointestinal surgery.
The researchers say IBD patients should be screened on admission to protect them from serious illness.
Read the news release about IBD patients with C. difficile.
Read other coverage about hospital quality:
- Wound Dressing With Silver Kills MRSA, Other Antibiotic-Resistance 'Superbugs'
- Honey May Help in Fight Against Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
- "Active Surveillance," Barrier Precautions Not as Effective in Reducing MRSA, VRE
Researchers from Imperial College London and St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust examined NHS statistics on patient admissions from 2002-2008. After adjusting for differences between the groups, they found that IBD patients who contract C. difficile in the hospital are six times more likely to die in the hospital than patients who are admitted for IBD alone. The mortality rate for IBD patients with C. difficile at 30 days was 25 percent, compared to 3 percent for patients with IBD alone.
The results also showed that IBD patients with C. difficile have longer hospital stays, with a median length of stay of 26 days compared to five days for patients with IBD alone. IBD patients with C. difficile are also almost twice as likely to need gastrointestinal surgery.
The researchers say IBD patients should be screened on admission to protect them from serious illness.
Read the news release about IBD patients with C. difficile.
Read other coverage about hospital quality:
- Wound Dressing With Silver Kills MRSA, Other Antibiotic-Resistance 'Superbugs'
- Honey May Help in Fight Against Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
- "Active Surveillance," Barrier Precautions Not as Effective in Reducing MRSA, VRE