Abstract
We evaluated treatment decisions and antimicrobial use related to 2 testing algorithms for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Our findings suggest that a 2-step testing algorithm using rapid polymerase chain reaction confirmatory testing leads to decreased unnecessary anti-CDI antimicrobial use. In addition, a significant proportion of patients with confirmed CDI were not treated according to recommended guidelines.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Aged
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Aged, 80 and over
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Algorithms
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Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
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Bacterial Proteins / analysis
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Bacterial Proteins / genetics
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Bacterial Toxins / analysis
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Bacterial Toxins / genetics
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Clostridioides difficile / genetics
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Clostridioides difficile / isolation & purification*
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Clostridium Infections / diagnosis*
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Clostridium Infections / drug therapy*
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Clostridium Infections / microbiology
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Decision Making
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Drug Prescriptions*
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Enterotoxins / analysis
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Enterotoxins / genetics
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Feces / microbiology
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Female
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Glutamate Dehydrogenase / analysis
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Humans
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Immunoenzyme Techniques
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Male
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Metronidazole / therapeutic use
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Middle Aged
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Neutralization Tests
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Practice Patterns, Physicians'*
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Retrospective Studies
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Vancomycin / therapeutic use
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Young Adult
Substances
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Anti-Bacterial Agents
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Bacterial Proteins
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Bacterial Toxins
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Enterotoxins
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tcdA protein, Clostridium difficile
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toxB protein, Clostridium difficile
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Metronidazole
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Vancomycin
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Glutamate Dehydrogenase