RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a frequent and severe complication of antibiotic treatment in older patients hospitalized for acute pneumonia (AP). AIMS: We aimed to assess the burden and risk factors of CDI and to determine which of the usual antibiotics regimens is at lower risk for post-AP CDI incidence. METHODS: Among patients aged >75y hospitalized for AP in all departments of a university hospital between 2007 and 2017, all the 92 patients developing a CDI were compared with 213 patients without CDI. Factors associated with 1) in-hospital and one-year mortality, 2) CDI incidence were assessed using logistic regression models. FINDINGS: In patients with and without CDI after AP, mortality rates were respectively at 34% vs 20% in hospital and 63% vs 42% at one-year. After adjustment for confounders, CDI was associated with a two-fold risk of in-hospital and one-year mortality after pneumonia (Respective Odds Ratio (95% Confidence Interval), OR (95%CI): 1.95 (1.06-3.58) and 2.02 (1.43-7.31)). High number of antibiotics (Per antibiotic, OR (95%CI): 1.89 (1.18-3.06)), rather than antibiotics duration (Per day, OR 95%CI): 1.04 (0.96-1.11)) was associated with a higher risk of CDI. Compared with other antibiotics, use of penicillin + beta-lactamase inhibitors was associated with a lower risk of CDI (OR (95%CI): 0.43 (0.19 -0.99)) CONCLUSION: In older inpatients, CDI highly increase the burden of AP at both short and long term. If confirmed, these results suggest the preferential use of penicillin + beta-lactamase inhibitors for a lower incidence of CDI in older inpatients with AP.