Table 2 Patient characteristics, comorbidities, and prescribed medications in, with, and without Clostridium difficile infection.

Mean age

67.12 ± 10.94

57.27 ± 14.78

<0.001

Age groups, years (%)

<0.001

   0–45

3.51%

21.50%

   46–65

38.60%

45.41%

   >65

57.89%

33.09%

Sex

0.155

   Female

57.9%

48.5%

   Male

42.1%

51.5%

Baseline comorbidities

   Hypertension

45.61%

37.95%

0.234

   Diabetes mellitus

28.07%

19.49%

0.102

   COPD

8.77%

3.06%

0.030

Stage operation

5.26%

0.24%

<0.001

Postoperative infection

   Urinary tract infection

19.30%

2.37%

<0.001

   Sepsis

33.33%

6.82%

<0.001

   Pneumonia

19.30%

1.23%

<0.001

   Surgical site infection

0.03%

1.75%

0.016

   Any infection

61.40%

25.27%

<0.001

Additional postoperative prescription

   Proton pump inhibitor

29.82%

15.07%

0.002

   H2 blocker

89.46%

81.87%

0.136

   Lactobacillus

3.51%

1.50%

0.211

Antibiotic types

   1^st generation cephalosporins

52.63%

70.26%

0.004

   2^nd generation cephalosporins

49.12%

50.94%

0.784

   3^rd generation cephalosporins

40.35%

15.86%

<0.001

   4^th generation cephalosporins

3.51%

0.30%

0.013

   Aminoglycosides

17.54%

12.67%

0.269

   Penicillins

22.81%

8.17%

<0.001

   Quinolones

21.05%

13.32%

0.086

   Glycopeptides

22.81%

4.13%

<0.001

   Carbapenems

5.26%

0.75%

0.009

   Ketolides

5.26%

1.37%

0.043

   Others

12.28%

1.80%

<0.001