Fecal Leukocyte Test and Clostridium difficile Diarrhea
Author Information
Author(s): Reddymasu Savio, Sheth Ankur, Banks Daniel E
Primary Institution: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Hypothesis
Is the fecal leukocyte test a good predictor of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea?
Conclusion
The fecal leukocyte test is not a good screening test for Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea due to its poor sensitivity.
Supporting Evidence
- FLT had a sensitivity of 30% and specificity of 74.9% compared to CDTA.
- 70% of stool specimens positive for CDTA had a negative FLT.
- Prevalence of a positive CDTA was 11.4%.
Takeaway
The fecal leukocyte test is like a bad guesser for a specific type of diarrhea, so doctors should use a different test instead.
Methodology
263 stool samples were tested for fecal leukocyte test and Clostridium difficile toxin assay simultaneously.
Limitations
The study may have inter-observer variability and false negatives due to delays in processing samples.
Participant Demographics
Inpatients at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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