A retrospective chart review assessing antibiotic treatment of hospitalized patients with discordant Clostridioides difficile assays in an urban hospitalized setting

Clare Stoddart; Irene Kuo; Matthew A Spence; Tara N Palmore

doi:10.1017/ash.2024.60

A retrospective chart review assessing antibiotic treatment of hospitalized patients with discordant Clostridioides difficile assays in an urban hospitalized setting

Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol. 2024 Apr 23;4(1):e57. doi: 10.1017/ash.2024.60. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Clare Stoddart¹, Irene Kuo², Matthew A Spence³, Tara N Palmore⁴

Affiliations

¹ The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA.
² Department of Epidemiology, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA.
³ The George Washington University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
⁴ The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.

Abstract

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) threatens vulnerable populations in health care. Two-step testing improves specificity, avoiding over-treatment. This study analyzed inpatient records to estimate diagnostic outcomes and identify characteristics associated with treatment after discordant testing. Among discordant patients, those aged 65+ years were significantly more likely to be prescribed antibiotics (67% vs 39%).