Thinking C. diff? Check the Diff(erential).

The severity of illness in Clostridium difficile (C. diff) colitis ranges from relatively moderate to severe and life-threatening; it can progress rapidly in some patients who may appear relatively well at presentation. Early resuscitation and surgical interventions can improve outcomes for some patients with severe disease, so early identification is important. Mouse models suggest an association between low levels of eosinophils and increased morbidity and mortality.

The authors retrospectively identified more than 2000 patients from two institutions who were admitted to the hospital and who had positive testing for C. diff within 24 hours of admission. Of these, 39% had no measurable eosinophils. Patients with no measurable eosinophils ha…