Unveiling the Risk Factors of Clostridioides difficile Infection in Children; A Multicenter Retrospective Case-control Study in the Eastern Region, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a major cause of morbidities that ranges in severity from asymptomatic infection to antibiotic associated diarrhea (AAD), and pseudomembranous colitis (PMC). It was recognized that C. difficile infection (CDI) is a disease of advanced age with an increasing incidence worldwide. Notably, children are no longer in the safe zone due to increasing risk of associated comorbidities that predispose to a greater incidence of CDI among this age group. Few data are available to describe the incidence and the risk factors associated with CDI among children in the middle east. Objective: To identify the risk factors associated with (CDI) in children.Methodology: A multicenter retrospective case-control study was done to review the data collected electronically from the medical records during the five years of the study period. The adjusted and unadjusted regression analysis were used to identify the risk factors. Results: The odd ratio of developing CDI in children is higher than adults