Table 1 Clinical characteristics of infants with or without Clostridium perfringens colonization
Positive for Clostridium perfringens | Negative for Clostridium perfringens | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
Number | 112 | 158 | |
Male/Female | 59/53 | 92/66 | 0.3655 |
Age (mean ± SD) (Months) | 2.89±1.85 | 2.70±3.39 | 0.5922 |
Outpatient/inpatient | 78/34 | 90/68 | 0.0342 |
Newborns/1-6 months | 23/89 | 53/105 | 0.0192 |
Main symptoms and diagnosis | |||
Bloating | 9 (8.04%) | 4 (2.53%) | 0.0375 |
Diarrhoea | 36 (32.14%) | 59 (37.34%) | 0.3799 |
Mucoid and/or bloody stool | 63 (56.25%) | 39 (24.68%) | <0.0001 |
NEC* | 8 (7.14%) | 2 (1.27%) | 0.0188 |
FPIAP* | 36 (32.14%) | 13 (8.23%) | <0.0001 |
Colitis | 28 (25.0%) | 52 (32.91%) | 0.1415 |
Diarrhoea | 31 (27.68%) | 48 (30.38%) | 0.6308 |
Disease duration | |||
<2 Weeks | 46 (41.07%) | 105 (66.46%) | 0.0002 |
2 Weeks to 2 months | 48 (42.86%) | 39 (24.68%) | |
>2 Months | 18 (16.07%) | 14 (8.86%) | |
Feeding patterns | |||
Exclusive breast feeding | 36 (32.14%) | 14 (8.86%) | 0.0432 |
Cow’s milk-based formula | 24 (21.43%) | 102 (64.56%) | |
Mixed feeding | 52 (46.43%) | 42 (26.58%) | |
Blood test (n=231) | |||
White blood cells >12.0×109/L | 16 (14.29%) | 47 (29.75%) | 0.6974 |
Platelet >400×109/L | 39 (34.82%) | 3 (1.89%) | <0.0001 |
Haemoglobin | |||
>120 g/L | 25 (22.32%) | 108 (68.34%) | <0.0001 |
90-120 g/L | 53 (47.32%) | 39 (24.68%) | |
< 90 g/L | 5 (4.46%) | 1 (0.63%) | |
Stool test (n=267) | |||
Occult blood | 64 (57.14%) | 36 (22.78%) | 0.0019 |
White blood cell | 17 (15.18%) | 5 (3.16%) | 0.0090 |
Antibiotics (Metronidazole) | 39 (33.9%) | 17 (10.76%) | <0.0001 |