• John C Byrn, Dipen C Maun, Daniel S Gingold, Donald T Baril, Junko J Ozao, and Celia M Divino.
• Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 5 E 98th St, 15th Floor, Box 1259, New York, NY 10029, USA.
• Arch Surg. 2008 Feb 1;143(2):150-4; discussion 155.

ObjectivesTo present, to our knowledge, the largest experience with colectomy for fulminant Clostridium difficile colitis and to propose factors significant in predicting mortality.DesignRetrospective medical record review.SettingUniversity teaching hospital.PatientsSeventy-three patients undergoing colectomy between 1994 and 2005 for C difficile-associated pseudomembranous colitis.Main Outcome MeasuresPreoperative predictors of in-hospital mortality.ResultsSeventy-three of 5718 cases (1.3%) of C difficile colitis required colectomy. Mean age was 68 years. In-hospital mortality was 34% (n = 25). Eighty-six percent (n = 63) of patients received a subtotal colectomy. Patients presented with diarrhea (84%; n = 61), abdominal pain (75%; n = 55), and ileus (16%; n = 12). Mean duration of symptoms was 7 days followed by 4 days of medical treatment prior to colectomy. On univariate analysis, an admitting diagnosis other than C difficile (P = .049), vasopressor requirement (P = .001), intubation (P = .001), and mental status changes (P < .001) were significant predictors of mortality. Arterial lactate level (4.9 vs 2.4 mmol/L; P = .007) was significantly higher and length of medical management (6.4 vs 3.0 days; P = .006) was significantly longer in the mortality group. Platelet counts (169 x 10(3)/microL vs 261 x 10(3)/microL [to convert to x 10(9)/L, multiply by 1]; P = .04) were significantly lower in the mortality group. On multivariate analysis, vasopressor requirement (P = .04; odds ratio, 5.0), mental status changes (P = .002; odds ratio, 12.6), and treatment length (P = .002; odds ratio, 1.4) remained significant predictors of mortality.ConclusionsColectomy for C difficile colitis carries a substantial mortality regardless of patient age and white blood cell count. Preoperative vasopressor requirement, mental status changes, and length of medical treatment significantly predict mortality.

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