Incidence Rates and Risk Factors of Clostridioides difficile Infection in Solid Organ and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients

Emma E Ilett, Marie Helleberg, Joanne Reekie, Daniel D Murray, Signe M Wulff, Mark P. Khurana, Amanda Mocroft, Gedske Daugaard, Michael Perch, Allan Rasmussen, Søren S Sørensen, Finn Gustafsson, Niels Frimodt-møller, Henrik Sengeløv, Jens Lundgren

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Abstract

Background
Transplant recipients are an immunologically vulnerable patient group and are at elevated risk of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) compared with other hospitalized populations. However, risk factors for CDI post-transplant are not fully understood.

Methods
Adults undergoing solid organ (SOT) and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) from January 2010 to February 2017 at Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, were retrospectively included. Using nationwide data capture of all CDI cases, the incidence and risk factors of CDI were assessed.

Results
A total of 1687 patients underwent SOT or HSCT (1114 and 573, respectively), with a median follow-up time (interquartile range) of 1.95 (0.52–4.11) years. CDI was diagnosed in 15% (164) and 20% (114) of the SOT and HSCT recipients, respectively. CDI rates were highest in the 30 days post-transplant for both SOT and HSCT (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR], 6.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.37–10.10; and aIRR, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.83–4.43, respectively, compared with 31–180 days). For SOT recipients, pretransplant CDI and liver and lung transplant were associated with a higher risk of CDI in the first 30 days post-transplant, whereas age and liver transplant were risk factors in the later period. Among HSCT recipients, myeloablative conditioning and a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index were associated with a higher risk of CDI in the early period but not in the late period.

Conclusions
Using nationwide data, we show a high incidence of CDI among transplant recipients. Importantly, we also find that risk factors can vary relative to time post-transplant
Original languageEnglish
JournalOpen Forum Infectious Diseases
Volume6
Issue number4
Number of pages9
ISSN2328-8957
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2019

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