• João Barbosa-Martins, Joana Mendonça, Carolina Carvalho, Helena Sarmento, Paula Mota, Camila Coutinho, and Jorge Cotter.
• Internal Medicine Department. Hospital da Senhora da Oliveira. Guimarães; Medical Oncology Department. Hospital da Senhora da Oliveira. Guimarães. Portugal.
• Acta Medica Port. 2022 Apr 1; 35 (4): 279-285.

IntroductionClostridium difficile infection has been increasingly reported, with a significant healthcare burden and important morbimortality. This study aimed to characterize and describe the severity and outcomes of this event at a Portuguese hospital.Material And MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis, by clinical record review, of all confirmed cases diagnosed in a hospital in the North of Portugal, between January 2013 and December 2018. We included those who were non-pregnant and at least 18 years old.ResultsFifty-seven cases occurred, mostly in females and aged patients; 33.3% were healthcare facility-outset, while 31.6% were community-associated. Regarding severity, 43.9% had non-severe, while 29.8% severe and 21.0% fulminant presentations, the latter with the need of admission. Exposure to antibiotics occurred in 68.4%, while to proton-pump inhibitors in 57.9%. Risk factors for severe disease were female gender, chronic renal disease, and high neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio. Moreover, renal disease and a higher ratio were associated with fulminant disease. Thirty-day all-cause mortality was found in 15.8% while 90-day in 28.1%. Risk factors for 30-day mortality were renal disease, higher Charlson score, and higher neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio. Risk factors for 90-day mortality were advanced age, previous antibiotic exposure, higher Charlson score, and higher neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio.ConclusionData concerning Clostridium difficile infection severity and prognosis in Portugal is scarce, and future studies should focus on this important topic.

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