Clostridium Difficile Infection In Patients Research Articles

Particularities of Clostridium Difficile Infection in Patients with Psychiatric Pathology

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a new pathology, but increasingly common in the elderly patient, with multiple comorbidities that often alter his quality of life and aggravate his vital prognosis. Material and method: The study is a prospective, observational, controlled active study, performed on 706 patients admitted to the Hospital St. Parascheva Galați Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital ” between 1.01.2017 ÷ 31.12.2018 with the diagnosis of CDI, of which 69 patients were associated with psychiatric disorders (PD). Results: The demographic, clinical and paraclinical characters that differentiated the group with CDI and PD from the group with CDI and various comorbidities, statistically significant, were:female sex, predominant in the group with PD, older age in the group with PD, Charlson score with values higher in the PD group, Atlas score with higher values in the PD group, the number of deaths that occurred in the first 30 days after the CDI episode, as well as the number of deaths that occurred in the first 6 months after the CDI, higher in the group with CDI and PD compared to the group with CDI and various comorbidities.

Clostridium difficile infection in patients after solid organ transplantations

Clostridium difficile is the most common identified pathogen causing nosocomial and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. The incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has increased over the last decades. The occurrence of severe and recurrent CDI is also more often recently observed. Patients after solid organs transplantation are more prone to Clostridium difficile infection that the general population. This is associated mainly with immunosuppressive therapy, more frequent hospitalizations and frequent antibiotic therapy. Due to the growing number of CDI, it is important to correctly diagnose this infection and to implement the proper treatment. The main drugs used to treat CDI are vancomycin and fidaxomicin. In the case of CDI recurrence, fecal microbiota transplantation remains to be considered. The rationale use of antibiotics and avoiding proton pump inhibitors may also prevent CDI. Results of recent observational study suggest that one of the probiotics – Lactobacillus plantarum 299v prevents CDI in patients during immunosuppressive therapy. The efficacy and safety of using probiotics in CDI prophylaxis in this group of patients requires, however, further studies.

The burden of Clostridioides difficile infection in patients with history of liver transplant and during index admission.

Liver transplant recipients have an increased risk of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) which associated with higher morbidity and mortality. CDI in liver transplant has been argued to increase hospital costs, charges, and length of stay (LOS) in small studies. However, no recent nationwide analysis determines these outcomes. This is a retrospective cohort study using the National Inpatient Sample 2016. All patients with ICD10CM diagnostic codes for CDI were included. The cohort was stratified for the history of liver transplant and liver transplant index admission. The primary outcome was the odds of CDI in both patient cohorts to patients without liver transplant. Secondary outcomes were inpatient morbidity, mortality, resource utilization, colectomy rates, LOS, and total hospital costs and charges. A total of 360 364 patients with CDI were identified, 1665 had a history of liver transplant and 155 had liver transplant during that admission. Patients with a history of liver transplant had increased odds of CDI compared to patients with no history of liver transplant (adjusted odds ratio 2.78; 95% confidence interval, 2.44-3.16). Patients with CDI had greater odds of shock, acute kidney injury, ICU stay, organ failure and significantly higher costs, charges and LOS. Patients with a history of liver transplant increased odds of CDI. CDI with history of liver transplant and the index admission for liver transplant had higher odds of morbidity and resource utilization. Clinicians must maintain a high index of suspicion for CDI for early diagnosis and appropriate initiation of treatment.

Hospital acquired Clostridioides difficile infection and risk factors for severity in a university hospital: A prospective study

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a well-known cause of health care-associated diarrhea. Data about CDI epidemiology of Turkey is limited. This study investigates CDI incidence, clinical characteristics, and factors associated with severe CDI in a tertiary care center university hospital. This is a case control study was conducted between 2012 and 2016. We included all patients, 18 years of age or more, with CDI diagnosis. For each patient diagnosed with CDI, information was collected concerning the severity of disease, treatment regimen, treatment response, disease recurrence, 30-day case fatality. Cases defined as severe hospital acquired CDI (HA-CDI) and controls defined as non-severe CDI patients. We identified 100 cases of HA-CDI out of 111 patients. Total CDI incidence was 1.19/10,000 patient-days. The incidence decreased 32.5% during the study period. We identified severe CDI in 24% of patients. Age and admission to intensive care unit were independent risk factors for severe CDI. This study reports a 5-year prospective epidemiology of CDI in a tertiary care center in Istanbul, Turkey. The findings of this study suggest that HA-CDI incidence and proportion of severe CDI is low compared to European and US literature. We believe that CDI is underreported, neglected but still an important health care associated infection in Turkey.

Rising incidence of clostridium difficile infection and associated clinical outcomes in hospitalized cancer patients: A national perspective.

e19095 Background: Cancer patients are more prone to Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Several factors such as increased exposure to antibiotics (either in the form of prophylaxis or treatment), being on chemotherapy, and frequent exposure to healthcare settings are responsible for this. Rate of CDI in these patients ranges from 10-20%. Here, we performed a retrospective analysis using the national inpatient sample to study the trend and to see whether CDI leads to poor outcomes in these patients. Methods: We have used National Inpatient Sample database from the year 2009 to 2015 to identify hospitalized adult patients with cancer using ICD-9 CM codes. Similarly, We also identified patients with concurrent CDI amongst all cancer patients. Our primary aims were to study the trend of CDI and associated outcomes in from of mortality, cost of hospitalization and length of stay. Incidence of CDI per 10,000 discharges in those patients over the study period was assessed. Outcomes related to CDI in cancer patients were compared with those without CDI. Categorical and continuous variables were compared between matched cohorts using Chi-square and Student’s t-test, respectively. Statistical significance level was set at < 0.05. All analyses were performed with the use of SAS (version 9.4). Results: Total of 6,035,966 cancer patients was identified over the study period. Out of which, 57,167 (0.9%) had concurrent CDI. Age, sex and race were comparable in both the groups. Incidence of CDI increased from 89 cases to 101 cases per 10,000 cancer patients (p-trend: < 0.05). Inpatient mortality was significantly higher in cancer patients with CDI compared to without CDI(12.1% vs 4.7%, p < 0.0001). Cost of hospitalization was almost 3 times higher ($36,243 vs $12,910, p < 0.0001).Median length of stay was almost four-fold longer (16 days vs 4 days, p < 0.0001). Patients with Medicare and Medicaid had higher percentages of CDI cases while patients with private insurance had lower percentages. Conclusions: Incidence of CDI in cancer patients is on the rise. CDI lead to higher mortality, cost of hospitalization, and length of stay in cancer patients. Preventive strategies in form of judicious use of antibiotics and prompt identification with treatment may help with reducing mortality and associated healthcare burden.

Analyzing the outcome of clostridium difficile infection in cancer patients.

e19340 Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a considerable health burden, and now identified as the leading cause of acquired diarrhea in patients receiving antibiotics. Cancer patients are more prone to acquire CDI, owing to their frequent exposure to risk factors. This study aims to investigate the factors affecting the outcome of Clostridium Difficile Infection in patients with cancer at our community center. Methods: This is a retrospective study that included a total of 59 cancer patients who were hospitalized for clostridium difficile infection. Results: The median age of the study population was 79 years with 39 males and 20 females. The patients were suffering from cancer located at the following sites: Prostate (25), lung (19), colon (7), bladder (4), breast (3) and renal (1). There were 52 cases of 1st and 7 cases of recurrent CDI admissions. 40 patients detected to have CDI at presentation while 19 patients developed CDI during hospitalization. CDI categories were as follows: Non-severe (29), severe (28), and very severe (3). There were 33 and 20 patients on chemotherapy and radiotherapy respectively. 27 patients had a recent history of cancer care-related procedures or interventions. 29 patients were from either rehab or nursing facility. There were 39 recent hospitalizations with 29 patients receiving antibiotics. Almost half of the patients were on PPI (29) and 12 were on steroids (20.3%) at the time of developing CDI. Patients with a high-risk qSOFA Score of 2 or more (p-value = 0.008) or a high white blood cell count of > 15 X 109/L (p-value = 0.016) were found to have higher in-hospital mortality. Critical care data suggested that 9 patients required intensive care, 7 patients required vasopressor support, and 6 needed mechanical ventilation. Patients were treated with either vancomycin alone (13), or metronidazole alone (25), or combination therapy with vancomycin + metronidazole (21). The median duration of hospital stay was 6 days with 11 fatalities (18.64%). Conclusions: CDI causes significant morbidity in cancer patients. Factors like high qSOFA score and leukocytosis can help to prioritize and intensify the care and in prognosticating the patients.

Anti-TNF containing regimens may be associated with increased risk of Clostridioides difficile infection in patients with underlying inflammatory bowel disease

BackgroundPatients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at greater risk for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). There remain controversial issues about the association of infliximab therapy in IBD patients and CDI. ObjectiveThe present work aimed to investigate the potential association between infliximab therapy and the risk of CDI in a group of Iranian patients with IBD. Patients and methodsA total of 140 IBD patients were enrolled, their fresh stool specimens were obtained and used for C. difficile detection. The presence of toxin-encoding genes of C. difficile isolates were examined by PCR. Demographic data, frequency of defecation, antibiotic usage, and IBD therapy were recorded. ResultsAbout half of the IBD patients had a history of antibiotic usage, mostly metronidazole (11.4 %) alone, and metronidazole + ciprofloxacin (16.4 %) as drug combination. C. difficile was isolated from 17.1 % (24/140) of the IBD patients, and more than 90 % of the isolates were found to be toxigenic having genotypes of tcdA+/tcdB+ (18/22, 81.8 %), tcdA+/tcdB− (3/22, 13.6 %) and tcdA−/tcdB+ (1/22, 4.5 %). Interestingly, we only found a significant relationship between the emergence of CDI and the use of infliximab in combinations with other drugs (P = 0.023). ConclusionsIn conclusion, there was a considerable incidence of CDI in Iranian patients with IBD. Our study also demonstrated that anti-TNF containing regimens in combinations with other immunosuppressive medications potentially may influence susceptibility to CDI in a group of patients with underlying IBD. Furthermore, our findings recommend avoiding the prolonged use of infliximab along with other corticosteroids or immunomodulators. Further validation studies are needed to better understand the mechanisms that regulate TNF-mediated pathways in CDI pathogenesis among IBD patients.

The Bioinformatic and In Vitro Studies of Clostridioides Difficile Aminopeptidase M24 Revealed the Immunoreactive KKGIK Peptide.

Clostridioides difficile (CD) is a Gram-positive pathogen responsible for CD-associated disease (CDAD), which is characterized by symptoms ranging from mild diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis. This work is an attempt to respond to the need of novel methods for CD infection (CDI) prevention, since the number of CDI cases is still rising. A bioinformatics approach was applied to design twenty-one peptides consisting of in silico predicted linear B-cell and T-cell epitopes of aminopeptidase M24 from CD. These peptides were mapped for epitopes exploiting PEPSCAN procedure and using sera obtained from CD infected patients, umbilical cord blood, and healthy volunteers. Two new CD epitopes, 131KKGIK135 and 184KGTSTHVIT192, were identified and characterized. Immunoreactivity of the synthetic biotinylated 131KKGIK135 epitope was significantly higher compared to 184KGTSTHVIT192 epitope in Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) with umbilical cord blood and CDI patients’ sera. Hereafter, the conjugate of bovine serum albumin and epitope 131KKGIK135 was evaluated in vitro on lung epithelial cell line. In vitro, a significant induction of IL-6 by conjugate was observed, thereby we postulate that this new 131KKGIK135 epitope possesses immunostimulating properties suggesting possibility of its use in a vaccine against Clostridioides difficile.

PGI16 BREAKDOWN OF COSTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO CLOSTRIDIOIDES DIFFICILE INFECTION IN THE US: RESULTS FROM A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

A previous systematic literature review (SLR) of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) global economic burden, conducted up to 2014, showed considerable costs of CDI. This SLR summarizes CDI-attributable economic burden literature in the United States (US) published since 2014. An SLR using terms for CDI, costs, and/or healthcare resource use was conducted across relevant databases from 1 January 2014 to 15 August 2018 without language or geographical restrictions, and supplemented by conference and HTA website searches. Costs attributed to CDI by study authors and differences in regression-adjusted or matched costs between CDI and non-CDI cohorts were extracted, including components of total costs (e.g., inpatient-, outpatient- and indirect costs, etc.) where available. Of 2,342 sources screened, 7 articles included CDI-attributable costs for US patients. Overall CDI-attributable cost ranged from 1.2-3.3 times that of non-CDI patients (incremental $1,700-$80,178), although study methods varied. Three studies presented detailed breakdown of direct costs; none included indirect costs. Two were retrospective database studies with one using insurance claims data. One study in primary CDI patients reported that 87% ($21,096) of the $24,205 overall CDI-attributable costs over 6 months was due to inpatient services, followed by outpatient ($1,520) and emergency services ($555). Another study found inpatient costs represented 91% ($73,045) of total CDI-attributable costs ($80,178). The third study, conducted in nursing homes over two months of follow-up, also found inpatient services were the predominant driver (55% [$8,243]) of total CDI-attributable costs ($14,977), with skilled nursing facility ($3,487) the next largest cost component. Consistent with the prior SLR, recent US studies demonstrate substantial direct medical costs attributable to CDI, with inpatient costs representing the largest proportion (55%-91%). However, non-inpatient services still account for $555-$7,133 in CDI-attributable costs. Future research should incorporate CDI-attributable indirect costs to more completely describe the economic burden of CDI.

Fecal calprotectin and need of multiple microbiota trasplantation infusions in Clostridium difficile infection

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has proven to be very effective in recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) when compared with standard antibiotic therapy. However, given the lack of validated criteria, decision regarding number and timing of infusions is currently based on the clinician's experience, severity of infection, and clinical response. We performed a longitudinal assessment of fecal calprotectin concentration (FCC) in CDI patients undergoing FMT. FCCs were correlated with the need for multiple infusions and with the clinical status of the patient. Fecal calprotectin concentration measurement was performed just before first procedure (T0 ) and 2 (T1 ) and 5 (T2 ) days later. The need for reinfusion was accounted for in the 8weeks following procedure, and clinical status was evaluated at the end of the given period. Both outcomes were correlated with measured FCCs. A total of 28 CDI patients undergoing FMT were enrolled. Median FCCs at T0 were significantly higher in patients who needed repeat FMT, 540μg/g versus patients who underwent single FMT, 290μg/g (P<0.05). Differences were not significant for FCC at T1 and T2 . Regarding correlation with clinical outcome, median FCC at T0 was found to be lower in responders compared with non-responders with a trend towards statistical significance (P=0.07). Correlation at T1 and T2 was not significant. The use of an easily obtainable parameter such as fecal calprotectin could possibly optimize overall management of FMT procedural framework potentially being able to immediately identify patients who may benefit from repeat infusions.

Incidence, Predictors, and Impact of Clostridium difficile Infection on Cardiac Surgery Outcomes

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has been associated with morbidity and mortality after cardiac operations. The present study examined incidence, predictors, and impact of CDI on inpatient mortality and resource utilization. An analysis of adult patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting or valvular operations from 2005 to 2016 was performed using the National Inpatient Sample. Trends in CDI were assessed using a modified Cochran-Armitage analysis. Multivariable multilevel regressions were used to identify predictors of CDI, and propensity-matched pairs were generated using Mahalanobis 1-to-1 matching to compare mortality, length of stay, and costs of CDI patients with the non-CDI cohort. The overall rate of CDI for an estimated 2,026,267 patients who underwent elective major cardiac surgery was 0.5% with no change in incidence (P for trend= .99). Predictors of CDI included advanced age (≥65 y; adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58-2.24), female gender (AOR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.15-1.44), heart failure (AOR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.40-1.76), and combined coronary artery bypass grafting/valve operations (AOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.24-2.08). Neither region nor bed size was associated with CDI. In contrast CDI mortality was lower at teaching hospitals compared with rural hospitals. Among matched pairs CDI was independently associated with higher mortality, length of stay, and Gross Domestic Product-adjusted costs. CDI occurs in less than 1% of all elective, major cardiac operations. Patient predictors included advanced age, female gender, and several chronic comorbidities. Teaching institutions had the highest odds of CDI but lowest odds of case fatality. Further investigation of factors contributing to CDI is warranted to disseminate institutional best practices.

Association Between Preoperative Oral Antibiotics and the Incidence of Postoperative Clostridium difficile Infection in Adults Undergoing Elective Colorectal Resection: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The risk of postoperative Clostridium difficile infection in patients receiving preoperative oral antibiotics remains controversial and a potential barrier for implementation. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between preoperative oral antibiotics and the incidence of postoperative C difficile infection in patients undergoing colorectal surgery. Medline, PubMed (not Medline), Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Web of Science were searched for articles published up to September 2018. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies that compared bowel preparation regimens in adult patients who underwent colorectal surgery were selected. The incidence of postoperative C difficile infection in adults receiving oral antibiotics versus no oral antibiotics was used as the primary outcome. ORs were pooled using generalized linear/mixed effects models. Fourteen randomized controlled trials and 13 cohort studies comparing bowel preparation with oral antibiotics to those without oral antibiotics were identified. The pooled OR from 4 eligible randomized controlled trials was suggestive of a greater odds of C difficile infection in the oral antibiotic group (OR = 4.46 (95% CI, 0.96-20.66)); however, the absolute incidence of C difficile infection was extremely low (total 11 events among 2753 patients). The pooled OR from 6 eligible cohort studies did not demonstrate a significant difference in the odds of C difficile infection (OR = 0.88 (95% CI, 0.51-1.52)); again, a very low absolute incidence of C difficile infection was identified (total 830 events among 59,960 patients). This meta-analysis was limited by the low incidence of C difficile infection reported in the studies and the low number of randomized controlled trials included. The incidence of C difficile infection in patients who undergo colorectal surgery is very low, regardless of bowel preparation regimen used. Considering the beneficial role of oral antibiotics in reducing surgical site infection, the fear for C difficile infection is not sufficient to omit oral antibiotics in this setting. PROSPERO - IDCRD42018092148.

Clostridioides difficile associated peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients \u2013 a case series based review of an under-recognized entity with therapeutic challenges

BackgroundInitial presentation of peritoneal dialysis associated infectious peritonitis can be clinically indistinguishable from Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) and both may demonstrate a cloudy dialysate. Empiric treatment of the former entails use of 3rd-generation cephalosporins, which could worsen CDI. We present a logical management approach of this clinical scenario providing examples of two cases with CDI associated peritonitis of varying severity where the initial picture was concerning for peritonitis and treatment for CDI resulted in successful cure.Case presentationA 73-year-old male with ESRD managed with PD presented with fever, abdominal pain, leukocytosis and significant diarrhea. Cell count of the peritoneal dialysis effluent revealed 1050 WBCs/mm3 with 71% neutrophils. C. difficile PCR on the stool was positive. Patient was started on intra-peritoneal (IP) cefepime and vancomycin for treatment of the peritonitis and intravenous (IV) metronidazole and oral vancomycin for treatment of the C. difficile colitis but worsened. PD fluid culture showed no growth. He responded well to IV tigecycline, oral vancomycin and vancomycin enemas. Similarly, a 55-year-old male with ESRD with PD developed acute diarrhea and on the third day noted a cloudy effluent from his dialysis catheter. PD fluid analysis showed 1450 WBCs/mm3 with 49% neutrophils. IP cefepime and vancomycin were initiated. CT of the abdomen showed rectosigmoid colitis. C. difficile PCR on the stool was positive. IP cefepime and vancomycin were promptly discontinued. Treatment with oral vancomycin 125 mg every six hours and IV Tigecycline was initiated. PD fluid culture produced no growth. PD catheter was retained.ConclusionsIn patients presenting with diarrhea with risk factors for CDI, traditional empiric treatment of PD peritonitis may need to be reexamined as they could have detrimental effects on CDI course and patient outcomes.

Clostridium difficile caused changes in fatty acids profile and resolvin D1 content in plasma of infected patients.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is an acute gastrointestinal infection caused by anaerobic, toxin-producing bacteria. During the course of CDI, there is a general inflammatory state. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the role of fatty acids (FAs) in the pathogenesis of acute infection we analyzed their plasma content in both patients with CDI and controls. The study groups included 40 patients with CDI and 40 healthy volunteers. Plasma FA content was analyzed by gas chromatography, resolvin D1 (RvD1) level using ELISA assay, and we assessed the white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil count and C-reactive protein (CRP) level. Patients with CDI were characterized by significantly higher values of WBC, neutrophils, platelets and CRP compared with the control group. The saturated FA index was statistically higher and total n-3 FA was significantly decreased in the plasma of CDI patients as compared with the control group. RvD1 content was significantly higher in the control group as compared with patients with CDI. In patients with good outcomes, we probably observed the effective resolution of inflammation, as reflected in n-3 FA metabolism and their significant decrease in plasma. This may indicate the therapeutic role of n-3 FA in CDI infection.

A265 SERIAL FECAL MICROBIOTA TRANSPLANT PLUS FIDAXOMICIN IN THE TREATMENT OF SEVERE OR FULMINANT CLOSTRIDIOIDES DIFFICILE INFECTION

Abstract Background Severe and fulminant Clostridioides Difficile infection(CDI) is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Current guidelines recommend high dose vancomycin with metronidazole for treatment. Surgery is a high risk for patients failing medical therapy partly due to multiple comorbidities. Emerging evidence suggests efficacy of sequential fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT) by colonoscopy combined with vancomycin in patients failing maximal medical therapy. Fidaxomicin is non-inferior to vancomycin in treating CDI; however, it has not been studied in severe/fulminant cases. It is not known if FMT by enema combined with fidaxomicin is efficacious and safe in this patient population. Aims This single center, prospective, open-label pilot study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of combined sequential FMT by enema plus fidaxomicin in severe or fulminant CDI not responding to maximal medical therapy. Primary outcome was resolution of diarrhea 2 weeks following final FMT. Secondary outcomes were resolution of diarrhea 8 weeks following final FMT, safety of proposed treatment protocol and colectomy rate. Methods Consecutive patients with severe or fulminant CDI, who fulfilled study inclusion criteria were recruited. Sequential cycles of FMT, administered by enema daily over three days(720cc followed by 360cc and 180cc), plus fidaxomicin 200mg PO BID were given. Clinical symptoms and inflammatory markers were monitored during the study and subsequent cycles of FMT were administered when clinical or biochemical improvement plateaued. A final FMT was administered with CDI resolution. Results A total of three patients were enrolled between Jan 22 to Aug 8, 2019, shown in Table 1. One patient had fulminant CDI due to shock, and the others had severe CDI. All had severe pseudomembranous colitis seen on endoscopy at enrollment. Two of three patients reached both primary and secondary outcomes with 2 FMT cycles. The only patient who did not reach the primary was successfully managed with long term vancomycin suppression. This patient had failed multiple FMTs prior to enrollment. There were no adverse events noted and no colectomy was required during this study. Conclusions This pilot study is the first to demonstrate efficacy and safety of combined sequential FMT by enema and fidaxomicin in treating severe or fulminant CDI patients. An adequately powered study is required to validate these findings. Funding Agencies CIHRAlberta Health Services, University of Alberta Hospital Foundation

Heart Failure Is a Risk Factor for Suffering and Dying of Clostridium difficile Infection. Results of a 15-Year Nationwide Study in Spain.

Background: We aimed to (1) analyze time trends in the incidence and in-hospital outcomes of heart failure (HF) patients suffering Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI); (2) compare clinical characteristics of CDI patients between those with HF and matched non-HF patients; and (3) identify predictors of in-hospital mortality (IHM) among HF patients suffering CDI. Methods: Retrospective study using the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Database from 2001 to 2015. Patients of age ≥40 years with CDI were included. For each HF patient, we selected a year, age, sex, and readmission status-matched non-HF patient. Results: We found 44,695 patients hospitalized with CDI (15.46% with HF). HF patients had a higher incidence of CDI (202.05 vs. 145.09 per 100,000 hospitalizations) than patients without HF (adjusted IRR 1.35; 95% CI 1.31–1.40). IHM was significantly higher in patients with HF when CDI was coded as primary (18.39% vs. 7.63%; p < 0.001) and secondary diagnosis (21.12% vs. 14.76%; p < 0.001). Among HF patient’s predictor of IHM were older age (OR 8.80; 95% CI 2.55–20.33 for ≥85 years old), those with more comorbidities (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.12–2.53 for those with Charlson Comorbidity index ≥2), and in those with severe CDI (OR 6.19; 95% CI 3.80–10.02). Conclusions: This research showed that incidence of CDI was higher in HF than non-HF patients. HF is a risk factor for IHM after suffering CDI.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: Redefining Surgical Management of Refractory Clostridium difficile Infection.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is the process of transplanting stool from a healthy donor into the gut of a diseased individual for therapeutic purposes. It has a clearly defined role in the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile (reclassified as " Clostridioides difficile ") infection (CDI), with cure rates over 90% and decreased rates of subsequent recurrence compared with anti-CDI antibiotics. There is emerging evidence that FMT is also effective in the treatment of severe and fulminant CDI, with associated decreases in mortality and colectomy rates compared with standard antibiotic therapy. FMT shows promise as salvage therapy for critically-ill CDI patients refractory to maximum medical therapy and not deemed to be surgical candidates. FMT should be considered early in the course of severe CDI and should be delivered immediately in patients with signs of refractory CDI. Expansion of FMT's use along the spectrum of CDI severity has potential to decrease associated rates of mortality and colectomy.

Clostridium difficile infection in obstetrics and gynecology patients

The incidence of nosocomial infections or, in other words, healthcare-associated infections, is bigger in developing countries. World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that as much as 15% of all hospitalized patients will contract an infection related to medical procedures. Nosocomial pathogens are represented by viruses, bacteria, fungal and parasites. The pathway of contamination is different and these could be represented by environmental sources, healthcare staff or other infected patients. Over the past decades, Clostridium difficile infection became more and more frequent in hospitalized patients. Unfortunately, not all the cases are reported and some of the patients are diagnosed with time after discharge, in other medical services. Gynecologic surgery, as well as obstetric patients already, have numerous risk factors for infection. The addition of Clostridium difficile infection in these patients could be catastrophal. Thus, the reported rising incidence of Clostridium difficile infection in gynecological and obstetric patients should be alarming and unacceptable since the pathogen is transmitted from one infected patient to another through unproperly cleaned medical staff hands. Although the main risk factor for Clostridium difficile infection is the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, the treatment is also antibiotic. Thus, the overuse of prophylactic antibiotherapy in patients undergoing gynecologic surgery should not be recommended.s.

Do probiotics prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhoea? Results of a multicentre randomized placebo-controlled trial

Antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (AAD) is a side-effect of antibiotic consumption and probiotics have been shown to reduce AAD. A multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial was conducted to evaluate the role of Lactobacillus casei DN114001 (combined as a drink with two regular yoghurt bacterial strains) in reducing AAD and Clostridioides difficile infection in patients aged over 55 years. The primary outcome was the incidence of AAD during 2 weeks of follow-up. A total of 1127 patients (mean age ± standard deviation: 73.6 ± 10.5) were randomized to the active group (N= 549) or placebo group (N= 577). Both groups were followed up as per protocol. The proportion of patients experiencing AAD during follow-up was 19.3% (106/549) in the probiotic group vs 17.9% (103/577) in the placebo group (unadjusted odds ratio 1.10, 95% confidence interval 0.82-1.49, P= 0.53). No significant evidence was found of a beneficial effect of the specific probiotic formulation in preventing AAD in this elderly population drawn from a number of different UK hospitals. However, in the UK and in many other healthcare systems there have, in recent years, been many changes in antibiotic stewardship policies, an overall decrease in incidence in C.difficile infection, as well as an increased awareness of infection prevention, and modifications in nursing practice. In light of these factors, it is impossible to conclude definitively from the current trial that the study-specific probiotic formulation has no role in preventing AAD, and it is our view that further trials may be indicated, controlling for these variables.

Comparative risk of Clostridium difficile infection between proton pump inhibitors and histamine-2 receptor antagonists: A 15-year hospital cohort study using a common data model.

There are potential concerns regarding infectious complications including Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs) among patients taking gastric acid suppressants. Furthermore, it is speculated that the stronger acid suppression by proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) potentially enhance infectious complications. This study aimed to compare the risk of CDI between PPIs and histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs). Using the long-term database of the Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, converted to the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model, we identified outpatients treated with PPIs and H2RAs for ≥7days from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2018. We conducted Cox regression analysis to examine the hazard ratio (HR) of CDI after propensity score matching. During a median follow-up period of 1.2years (interquartile range, 0.2-3.2years), the initial CDI occurrence differed significantly between matched cohorts of patients taking PPIs and H2RAs [PPIs vs H2RAs, 88/31095 person years vs 47/32836 person years; HR, 2.22; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29-3.96; P=0.005]. Almost 50% of all events occurred within 1year of drug exposure. The risk of CDIs was significantly greater among groups receiving PPIs or H2RAs than in matched controls (PPIs vs control: HR, 2.65; 95% CI 1.28-5.79; P=0.011; and H2RAs vs control: HR 2.43; 95% CI 1.09-5.68; P=0.034]. In long-term hospital cohort, outpatient-based PPIs were associated with greater risk of CDI than H2RAs. It is necessary to be cautioned about complication of CDI in patients taking long-term PPI therapy.