Impact of Clostridium difficile infection on pediatric appendicitis

Retrospective database study of 176,934 pediatric appendicitis cases found C. difficile infection in 0.2%, with significantly higher rates in perforated cases (0.39% vs 0.06%). C. difficile complication increased hospital stay by 4.78 days and costs by $29,887, emphasizing the importance of antibiotic stewardship in pediatric appendicitis management.