Is obesity a risk factor for Clostridium difficile infection?. Issue 1 (January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Punni, Emma; Pula, Jaime L.; Asslo, Fady; Baddoura, Walid; DeBari, Vincent A.
• Is Part Of: Obesity research & clinical practice. Volume 9:Issue 1(2015:Jan./Feb.)
• Page Start: 50
• Page End: 54
• Publication Date: 2015-01
• Subjects: Obesity -- Research -- Periodicals; Obesity -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Obesity -- Periodicals; Obésité -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Obésité -- Traitement -- Périodiques; Obesity -- Research; Obesity -- Treatment; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616.398
• DOI: 10.1016/j.orcp.2013.12.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1871-403X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="author" id="abs0005"> <title id="sect0005">Summary</title> <sec> <title id="sect0010">Background</title> <p id="spar0005">The epidemiology of <italic>Clostridium difficile</italic> infection (CDI) has become an important area of investigation, especially in light of the global increase in both hospital-acquired (HA) and community-acquired (CA) CDI. Recently, obesity was found to be associated with CDI and was suggested to represent an independent risk factor for it.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0015">Objective</title> <p id="spar0010">We undertook a case–control study to examine obesity as an exposure for both HA and CA cases in adults (age ≥ 18 years) admitted to a tertiary, university-affiliated, acute care medical facility in the northeastern United States.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0020">Methods</title> <p id="spar0015">During the period January 2012–July 2013, we examined cross-sectional BMI data on 189 cases of CDI and 189 contemporaneous age and gender-matched controls.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0025">Results</title> <p id="spar0020">We were unable to detect a statistically significant difference between the two groups; in fact, the BMI values for both groups were substantially equivalent (cases: median = 26.5 kg/m, IQR: 22.1–32.5; controls: median = 26.0, IQR: 22.7–31.0; <italic>p</italic> = 0.696). Odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals), evaluated at BMI of 25, 30 and 35 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, did not demonstrate statistical significance.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0030">Conclusion</title> <p id="spar0025">These data suggest that obesity, as described by BMI, may not be a risk factor for CDI in all populations.</p> </sec> </abstract>