While early empiric antibiotic therapy is beneficial for patients presenting with sepsis, the presentation of sepsis from Clostridioides difficile (formerly Clostridium difficile) infection (CDI) has not been well studied in large cohorts. We sought to determine whether the combination of extreme leukocytosis and diarrhea was strongly predictive of CDI in a cohort of 8659 patients admitted to the intensive care unit. We found that CDI was present in 15.0% (95% CI, 12.1–18.3%) of patients with extreme leukocytosis and diarrhea and that mortality for those with CDI, diarrhea, and extreme leukocytosis was 33.8% (95% CI, 23.2–44.3%). These data support consideration of empiric treatment for CDI in unstable critically ill patients with extreme leukocytosis and diarrhea, along with treatment of other possible sources of sepsis as appropriate. Empiric treatment for CDI can usually be discontinued promptly, along with narrowing of other broad-spectrum antimicrobial coverage, if a sensitive C. difficile test is negative.

Recent studies have demonstrated that vasopressors can be delivered safely through peripheral intravenous lines. While norepinephrine is usually delivered at a concentration of 16 to 32 μg/mL, out of concern for extravasation and interstitial necrosis, some patients receive more dilute norepinephrine solutions through peripheral intravenous catheters. We describe a case of severe hyponatremia and seizure resulting from administration of norepinephrine concentrated at 4 μg/mL in dextrose 5% in water. After the incident, the institutional policy changed to recommend normal saline as the default diluent for peripheral norepinephrine, with a more concentrated option available. The incident also informed similar guidelines at other hospitals.