Volume 13, Number 9—September 2007
Dispatch
Increase in Clostridium difficile–related Mortality Rates, United States, 1999–2004
Matthew D. Redelings*
, Frank Sorvillo*†, and Laurene Mascola*
, Frank Sorvillo*†, and Laurene Mascola*Table
Demographic characteristics of patients with Clostridium difficile–related deaths, United States, 1999–2004
| Demographic group | C. difficile–related deaths, no. (%) | Age-adjusted mortality rate/million population |
|---|---|---|
| Sex | ||
| Female | 12,468 (60) | 11.8 |
| Male |
8,174 (40) |
12.7 |
| Race/ethnicity | ||
| White | 18,534 (90) | 12.9 |
| Hispanic | 602 (3) | 7.2 |
| Black | 1.304 (6) | 9.3 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 139 (1) | 3.5 |
| American Indian/Alaska Native |
63 (<1) |
7.9 |
| Age group, y | ||
| <1 | 17 (<1) | 0.7* |
| 1–4 | 11 (<1) | 0.1* |
| 5–14 | 12 (<1) | 0.1* |
| 15–24 | 24 (<1) | 0.1* |
| 25–34 | 62 (<1) | 0.3* |
| 35–44 | 171 (1) | 0.6* |
| 45–54 | 464 (2) | 2.0* |
| 55–64 | 1,159 (6) | 7.6* |
| 65–74 | 3,238 (16) | 29.3* |
| 75–84 | 7,859 (38) | 104.0* |
| >85 |
7,623 (37) |
287.1* |
| Total | 20,642 | 12.2 |
*This statistic is not age-adjusted because it only pertains to 1 age group.
