Clostridium difficile infection physical examination

Patients with C. difficile infection typically have low-grade fever and abdominal tenderness on physical examination. Additional signs on physical examination may be suggestive of worsening infection, complicated disease, or failure of antimicrobial therapy. Significant findings on physical examination include significant derangements in vital signs, including high-grade fever, tachycardia, or hypotension, signs of dehydration, peripheral edema which might be suggestive of hypoalbuminemia, or worsening abdominal tenderness, distention, palpable masses, or inactive bowel sounds, which may suggest toxic megacolon, abscess development, or ileus.

Patients with C. difficile infection typically have low-grade fever and abdominal tenderness on physical examination. Additional signs on physical examination may be suggestive of worsening infection, complicated disease, or failure of antimicrobial therapy.

• Fever (may be either high-grade or low-grade)
• Tachycardia
• Tachypnea
• Hypotension (in case patient is severely dehydrated)

• Pallor

• Dry mucus membranes
• Conjunctival pallor

• Abdominal distention
• Hyperactive bowel sounds (may be either hypoactive or inactive if patient develops ileus)
• Abdominal tenderness (diffuse or localized to one quadrant)
• Abdominal mass on palpation may suggest visceral or intraabdominal abscess.

• Peripheral edema (due to hypoalbuminemia)

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