Evidence map›Paper›PMID 21811379›Full record

ArticleInfectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology2011

The emergence of Clostridium difficile infection among peripartum women: a case-control study of a C. difficile outbreak on an obstetrical service.

Jennifer A Unger, Estella Whimbey, Michael G Gravett, David A Eschenbach

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
1.7field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 28 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Toxins · 2026
    Article
  2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
    Review
  3. Clinical microbiology reviews · 2024
    Review
  4. Effect of peripartumTherapeutic advances in gastroenterology · 2023
    Article
  5. A Case ofInfectious diseases & clinical microbiology · 2022
    Article
  6. Variable spectrum of disease and risk factors of peripartum Clostridium difficile infection: report of 14 cases from French hospitals and literature review.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2018
    Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Jennifer A UngerDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, P.O. Box 356460, Seattle, WA 98195-6460, USA. junger@u.washington.edu
Estella Whimbey
Michael G Gravett
David A Eschenbach
University of Washington · USUniversity of Washington Medical Center · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAn outbreak of 20 peripartum Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) occurred on the obstetrical service at the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) between April 2006 and June 2007. In this report, we characterize the clinical manifestations, describe interventions that appeared to reduce CDI, and determine potential risk factors for peripartum CDI.

methodsAn investigation was initiated after the first three peripartum CDI cases. Based on the findings, enhanced infection control measures and a modified antibiotic regimen were implemented. We conducted a case-control study of peripartum cases and unmatched controls.

resultsDuring the outbreak, there was an overall incidence of 7.5 CDI cases per 1000 deliveries. Peripartum CDI infection compared to controls was significantly associated with cesarean delivery (70% versus 34%; P=0.03), antibiotic use (95% versus 56%; P=0.001), chorioamnionitis (35% versus 5%; P=0.001), and the use of the combination of ampicillin, gentamicin, and clindamycin (50% versus 3%; P<0.001). Use of combination antibiotics remained a significant independent risk factor for CDI in the multivariate analysis.

conclusionsThe outbreak was reduced after the implementation of multiple infection control measures and modification of antibiotic use. However, sporadic CDI continued for 8 months after these measures slowed the outbreak. Peripartum women appear to be another population susceptible to CDI.

Indexed as

Disease OutbreaksPeripartum PeriodAcademic Medical CentersAdultCase-Control StudiesCesarean SectionChi-Square DistributionClostridioides difficileCommunicable Diseases, EmergingEnterocolitis, PseudomembranousFemaleHumansIncidenceLogistic ModelsMiddle AgedMultivariate Analysis

Identifiers

PMID21811379
PMCPMC3146991
OpenAlexW2001824993

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.