ArticleThe Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery2018
A multi-institutional cohort study confirming the risks of Clostridium difficile infection associated with prolonged antibiotic prophylaxis.
Article in The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 25 citations in OpenAlex.
- Association between postoperative Clostridioides difficile infection and outcomes following pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer: a national cohort study.Surgical endoscopy · 2026Article
- Trends and Impact ofGastroenterology research · 2026Article
- Impact of Antibiotic Prophylaxis Duration on the Incidence of Healthcare-Associated Infections in Elective Colorectal Surgery.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Risk factors and outcomes of Clostridioides difficile infection in patients with colorectal cancer: critical perspective in management.Gut pathogens · 2025Review
- A Systematic Literature Review on Risk Factors for and Timing of Clostridioides difficile Infection in the United States.Infectious diseases and therapy · 2024Review
- Appropriateness of choice and duration of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis and the incidence of surgical site infections: A prospective study.Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences · 2023Article
- Article
- Unilateral antibiotic-induced acute eosinophilic pneumonia on the operative side after surgery for primary lung cancer: a case report.Surgical case reports · 2020Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
- Commented on by
- Commented on by
- Commented on byIs2018
Authors and funding
17 authors at 11 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesThe incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) have increased rapidly over the past 2 decades, particularly in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. This study sought to characterize the incidence and risks of these infections in cardiac surgery patients.
methodsA total of 5158 patients at 10 Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network sites in the US and Canada participated in a prospective study of major infections after cardiac surgery. Patients were followed for infection, readmission, reoperation, or death up to 65 days after surgery. We compared clinical and demographic characteristics, surgical data, management practices, and outcomes for patients with CDI and without CDI.
resultsC difficile was the third most common infection observed (0.97%) and was more common in patients with preoperative comorbidities and complex operations. Antibiotic prophylaxis for >2 days, intensive care unit stay >2 days, and postoperative hyperglycemia were associated with increased risk of CDI. The median time to onset was 17 days; 48% of infections occurred after discharge. The additional length of stay due to infection was 12 days. The readmission and mortality rates were 3-fold and 5-fold higher, respectively, in patients with CDI compared with uninfected patients.
conclusionsIn this large multicenter prospective study of major infections following cardiac surgery, CDI was encountered in nearly 1% of patients, was frequently diagnosed postdischarge, and was associated with extended length of stay and substantially increased mortality. Patients with comorbidities, longer surgery time, extended antibiotic exposure, and/or hyperglycemic episodes were at increased risk for CDI.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.