Underweight Patients With C. difficile Infection (CDI) Are at Higher Risk of Poor Outcome Than Normal, Overweight and Obese Patients

life (VAS).Afterwards, a standardized hydrogen breath test with 50 g lactose was performed.At the end of the breath test, the questionnaire was administered again to determine the intensity of symptoms after the lactose overload in the lab.RESULTS: 273 patients were included in the study (median age 40 y, F/M 209/64).156 (57 %) of patients considered themselves lactose intolerants and that perception was associated with avoidance of dairy consumption (56 % of self-defined intolerants avoid dairy intake vs only 8 % of self-defined tolerants).Self-perception of intolerance was associated with lower scoring of the VAS (median of 60 vs 70 scored by tolerant, p<0.01).In contrast, lactose malabsorption established by a positive hydrogen lactose breath test was not associated with dairy avoidance (36 % of malabsorbers avoid dairy vs 34 % of absorbers).However, scoring of VAS was also significantly lower in malabsorbers than in absorbers (60 vs 70 respectively, p<0.001).CONCLUSIONS: Subjective perception of lactose intolerance affects the decision to avoid dairy even more than objective malabsorption.However, both the self-perception of lactose intolerance and the objective lactose malabsorption are associated with poorer perceived quality of life.