We establish a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of positive solutions and obtain Sturm-type comparison theorem for the difference equation xn+1-xn+ ∑ i=1 mpi(n)xn-ki=O, n ≥ 0. (*) We also obtain the following comparison result: Equation (*) oscillates if and only if xn+1-xn+ ∑ i=1 mqi(n)xn-ki=O, n ≥ 0. (**) oscillates provided n → ∞lim pi(n) qi, i = 1, 2, ..., m. © 1992.