Impact of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea on acute care length of stay, hospital costs, and readmission: A multicenter retrospective study of inpatients, 2009-2011

We used the Premier database to determine Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea burden on U.S. acute care hospitals.
Patients with Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea had higher lengths of stay, intensive care unit admission, and inpatient mortality.
Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea also conferred higher adjusted costs and all-cause readmissions.
Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea-attributable costs and readmissions were also higher in high-risk subgroups.
Prevention of initial and recurrent Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea is essential to lessen burden to hospitals.

Authors: Glenn Magee, MBA, Marcie E. Strauss, MPH, Sheila M. Thomas, PharmD2, Harold Brown, MHA, MBA, Dorothy Baumer, MS, Kelly C. Broderick, PharmD