Higher Rates of Clostridium difficile Infection among Smokers

Mary A M Rogers, M Todd Greene, Sanjay Saint, Carol E Chenoweth, Preeti N Malani, Itishree Trivedi and David M Aronoff

PLOS ONE, 2012, vol. 7, issue 7, 1-5

Abstract: Objectives: Cigarette smoking has been shown to be related to inflammatory bowel disease. We investigated whether smoking affected the probability of developing Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study of 16,781 older individuals from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study. Data were linked to files from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Results: Overall, the rate of CDI in older individuals was 220.6 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI 193.3, 248.0). Rates of CDI were 281.6/100,000 person-years in current smokers, 229.0/100,000 in former smokers and 189.1/100,000 person-years in never smokers. The odds of CDI were 33% greater in former smokers (95% CI: 8%, 65%) and 80% greater in current smokers (95% CI: 33%, 145%) when compared to never smokers. When the number of CDI-related visits was evaluated, current smokers had a 75% increased rate of CDI compared to never smokers (95% CI: 15%, 167%). Conclusions: Smoking is associated with developing a Clostridium difficile infection. Current smokers have the highest risk, followed by former smokers, when compared to rates of infection in never smokers.

Date: 2012
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0042091

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042091

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