Inpatient fluoroquinolone use in Veterans' Affairs hospitals is a predictor of Clostridioides difficile infection due to fluoroquinolone-resistant ribotype 027 strains.

BACKGROUND

Reduction in the use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics has been associated with reductions in Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) due to fluoroquinolone-resistant strains.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether facility-level fluoroquinolone use predicts healthcare facility-associated (HCFA) CDI due to fluoroquinolone-resistant 027 strains.

METHODS

Using a nationwide cohort of hospitalized patients in the Veterans' Affairs Healthcare System, we identified hospitals that categorized >80% of CDI cases as positive or negative for the 027 strain for at least one-quarter of fiscal years 2011-2018. Within these facilities, we used visual summaries and multilevel logistic regression models to assess the association between facility-level fluoroquinolone use and rates of HCFA-CDI due to 027 strains, controlling for time and facility complexity level, and adjusting for correlated outcomes within facilities.

RESULTS

Between 2011 and 2018, 55 hospitals met criteria for reporting 027 results, including a total of 5,091 HCFA-CDI cases, with 1,017 infections (20.0%) due to 027 strains. Across these facilities, the use of fluoroquinolones decreased by 52% from 2011 to 2018, with concurrent reductions in the overall HCFA-CDI rate and the proportion of HCFA-CDI cases due to the 027 strain of 13% and 55%, respectively. A multilevel logistic model demonstrated a significant effect of facility-level fluoroquinolone use on the proportion of infections in the facility due to the 027 strain, most noticeably in low-complexity facilities.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide support for interventions to reduce use of fluroquinolones as a control measure for CDI, particularly in settings where fluoroquinolone use is high and fluoroquinolone-resistant strains are common causes of infection.