Estudo epidemiológico e caracterização de coorte de pacientes com infecção por Clostridioides difficile internados no Hospital das Clínicas da UFMG

Abstract

Introduction: Clostridioides difficile (ICD) infection is the leading bacterial cause of healthcare-associated infectious diarrhea and it is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality rates, as well as treatment-related costs worldwide. In Europe and the United States, the incidence density varies between 2.9 and 8.3 cases/10,000 patient-days. There is no precise data about the incidence rate in Latin America. Objectives: get the measure of the incidence density of healthcare-related ICD in a high-complexity hospital and to define the profile of this cohort of patients. Methods: daily active search for diarrhea cases was carried out during a 3-month period, between April and July 2021. Suspected cases were submitted to a rapid test for glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and C. difficile toxins A and B. In samples positive only for GDH, diagnostic confirmation was made through toxigenic culture. Results: 104 patients with diarrhea were identified and toxigenic C. difficile was responsible for 21 cases. The incidence density was 9.2 cases for every 10,000 patient-days. The median age of patients with ICD was 63 (19-80) years, 57.1% were male and the mean Charlson Comorbidity Index was 4.10 (±2.49). Seventeen patients (81%) used antibiotics (ATB) in the 3 months preceding the infection and the mean number of ATB was 3.29 (±2.72). ICD was considered severe in 11 patients (52.4%). Vancomycin was the initial treatment option in 14 patients (66.7%) and 11 patients (52,4%) responded by the fifth day. Two patients were in the second episode of ICD and one patient had recurrence after the recruitment period. There were three deaths, probably unrelated to CDI. Conclusion: The measure of incidence density was high and points to the need for measures aimed at better infection control. The sample of patients was characterized as complex, with multiple comorbidities, recent use of multiple ATB and high mortality.