Antibiotics and hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infection: update of systematic review and meta-analysis

To update the evidence for associations between antibiotic classes and hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infection (HA-CDI).

Electronic databases of journal articles, scholarly theses and conference proceedings using subject headings and keywords related to CDI and antibiotic exposure were searched. Observational epidemiological studies measuring associations between antibiotic classes and HA-CDI were eligible for inclusion. Pooled ORs and 95% CIs were calculated using a random effects model. Study factors identified a priori were examined as sources of heterogeneity. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.