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A recent study examining data from multiple large, national databases in the U.S. reports that C. difficile colitis is now the ninth leading cause of death from gastrointestinal (GI) and liver diseases — exceeding GI hemorrhage, chronic hepatitis C, acute pancreatitis, diverticular disease, and cholecystitis. The number of deaths from C. difficile infection increased from 2195 in 2002 to 7251 in 2009 — a 230% increase.
Other findings from 2009 data sources are highlighted below.
The leading cause of GI death is still colorectal cancer, followed by pancreatic cancer.
Total outpatient endoscopies performed included 6.9 million upper endoscopies, 11.5 million lower endoscopies, and 228,000 biliary endoscopies, at a total estimated cost of US$32.4…