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Susan L. Gearhart, MD

Arch Surg. 2007;142(7):631.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

This study highlights the increasing prevalence and severity of C difficile colitis in hospitalized patients in the United States from 1993 to 2003. As indicated by the authors, these epidemiologic findings have been corroborated by several other studies. The use of the NIS in this study allowed for many cases of C difficile in the United States to be identified. However, this study is limited by the lack of a denominator indicating the number of C difficile toxin studies performed, the lack of confirmation of the disease in all cases, and a bias toward Medicare (older) patients.

Unfortunately, little information exists regarding the point in treatment of C difficile colitis when a colectomy should be performed, and the mortality associated with surgery remains high (approximately 40%). Whether this is related to the intervention itself or to the delay in surgical intervention is unknown. In this study, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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Increasing Prevalence and Severity of Clostridium difficile Colitis in Hospitalized Patients in the United States
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