Clostridium difficile colitis has increased 47 percent and colectomies have increased 32 percent between 2001 and 2010, indicating an increase in C. diff infections and severe C. diff infections overall, according to an article published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Researchers analyzed treatment of the 2.7 million cases of C.diff colitis in the U.S. between 2001 and 2010 to come to these findings.
Factors associated with increased risk of colectomy to treat severe C. diff included coagulopathy, weight loss, teaching hospitals, fluid or electrolyte disorders and large hospitals, while increased risk of colectomy mortality was associated with coagulopaty, age greater than 60 years, acute renal failure, respiratory failure, sepsis, vascular disease and congestive heart failure.
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