Clostridium difficile of the ileum following total abdominal colectomy, with or without proctectomy: who is at risk?

Case report of clostridium difficile infection after rectal resection with ileostomy

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, with high incidence and mortality rates. Surgical resection is the primary treatment for rectal cancer. To reduce the occurrence and severity of postoperative complications such as anastomotic leakage, prophylactic ileostomy is often performed concurrently. However, following ileostomy creation, there is a disruption in intestinal ecology, making patients susceptible to clostridium difficile infection. clostridium difficile is a Gram-positive anaerobic spore-forming bacterium that is resistant to most antibiotics due to spore formation, leading to high recurrence rates and treatment failure. Additionally, in the early stages of clostridium difficile infection, increased ileostomy output can be challenging to differentiate from normal postoperative conditions, potentially resulting in missed diagnosis, delayed treatment, and increased healthcare burden.This case report describes a case of high out-put ileostomy caused by clostridium difficile infection following rectal resection with ileostomy, which was successfully treated by fecal microbiota transplantation, providing evidence-based medicine for clinical practice.

Infection and inflammation stimulate expansion of a CD74+ Paneth cell subset to regulate disease progression

Paneth cells (PCs), a specialized secretory cell type in the small intestine, are increasingly recognized as having an essential role in host responses to microbiome and environmental stresses. Whether and how commensal and pathogenic microbes modify PC composition to modulate inflammation remain unclear. Using newly developed PC-reporter mice under conventional and gnotobiotic conditions, we determined PC transcriptomic heterogeneity in response to commensal and invasive microbes at single cell level. Infection expands the pool of CD74+ PCs, whose number correlates with auto or allogeneic inflammatory disease progressions in mice. Similar correlation was found in human inflammatory disease tissues. Infection-stimulated cytokines increase production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and expression of a PC-specific mucosal pentraxin (Mptx2) in activated PCs. A PC-specific ablation of MyD88 reduced CD74+ PC population, thus ameliorating pathogen-induced systemic disease. A similar phenotype was also observed in mice lacking Mptx2. Thus, infection stimulates expansion of a PC subset that influences disease progression.

Analysis of Perioperative Risk Factors for Clostridium difficile Infection After a Colectomy

Introduction

The removal of the terminal ileum may interfere with gut-associated lymphoid tissue function, reduce bile salt reabsorption, and change intraluminal pH, which may contribute to the development of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) after ileocolic resections. Therefore, we compared CDI incidence among patients who underwent a colectomy with or without removal of the terminal ileum.

Methods

Using the 2016 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) Targeted Colectomy database, we identified 17,962 patients who underwent a left-sided colectomy without removal of the terminal ileum and 5,929 patients who underwent an ileocolic resection involving the removal of the terminal ileum. Patients who underwent an emergency operation or had enterocolitis as the indication for surgery were excluded.

Results

Patients who underwent an ileocolic resection developed higher rates of postoperative CDI than those who underwent a left hemicolectomy (p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that removing the ileum was associated with a 50% higher risk of developing CDI than patients who underwent a left-sided colectomy. Additional risk factors for developing postoperative CDI were advanced age (p=0.001) and mechanical bowel preparation (p=0.001). On the other hand, factors independently associated with a lower risk of postoperative CDI were male gender (p<0.001), preoperative oral antibiotics (p<0.001), and preoperative chemotherapy use within 90 days (p<0.013).

Conclusion

Overall, patients who undergo operations involving the removal of the ileum are at higher risk for developing CDI. To reduce the risk among these patients, we suggest employing preoperative oral antibiotics in part of bowel preparation. Furthermore, it is critical to maintain hygienic measures, such as handwashing and disinfecting surfaces, and attentive care for these patients.

Obesity Is Associated with Decreased Risk of Clostridium difficile Infection in Hospitalized Patients with Pouchitis

BACKGROUND

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is one of the leading causes of health-care-associated infections in the USA. There are limited data available regarding CDI in hospitalized patients with inflammatory bowel disease-related ileal pouch.

AIMS

This study aimed to evaluate the demographics, clinical features, risk factors, and admission outcomes among hospitalized patients with CDI-related pouchitis (CDP).

METHODS

Retrospective chart review was performed for patients who were admitted to our institute for pouchitis between 2013 and 2016 to identify patients with CDP. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the risk factors associated with CDP.

RESULTS

A total of 160 subjects with pouchitis had a total of 218 admissions during the study period. Primary admission diagnosis was pouchitis or inflammatory bowel disease flare-up for 202 (93%) admissions. Clostridium difficile was tested at least once for 72 patients, and the diagnosis of CDP was established for 16 (10%) patients. All patients with CDP were symptomatic, 13 (81%) had diarrhea, 8 (50%) had abdominal pain, 7 (44%) had nausea/vomiting, and 2 (13%) had gastrointestinal bleeding. On multivariable analysis, only body mass index > 25 (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.06-0.94, p = 0.048) was significantly associated with decreased risk of CDP. No patients in CDP cohort were admitted to ICU, died at the hospital, or readmitted in 30 days after the discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

In our cohort, obesity was associated with low risk of CDP among hospitalized patients with pouchitis. This finding warrants further validation in prospective studies.

Clostridium difficle Enteropathy Is Associated With a Higher Risk for Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With an Ileostomy-A Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is traditionally considered a colon-affecting disease with frequent pseudomembrane formation. However, multiple case reports have documented the existence of CDI in the small bowel, and the literature on outcome of C difficile enteropathy (CDE) is sparse. The aims of our study are to identify risk factors and to assess patient-related outcomes associated with CDE.

METHODS

This is a case-control study involving 112 patients at our tertiary care center. Patients with an ileostomy who tested positive for C difficile toxins were assigned to the study group (n = 34). The control group included patients with an ileostomy who tested negative for the C difficile toxins (n = 78). Via chart review, we collected data on baseline characteristics, laboratory values, potential risk factors, and outcome measures.

RESULTS

Patients in the study and control groups were comparable in baseline and laboratory characteristics. In univariate analysis, CDE was associated with a history of smoking (hazard ratio [HR], 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-4.3; P = 0.034), the presence of alcohol use (HR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.05-12.8; P = 0.042), and older median age at the time of ileostomy (HR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.07-1.3; P = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, no significant association between established CDI risk factors (eg, prior exposure to antibiotics and the use of proton pump inhibitors or histamine 2 receptor blockers) and the risk for the CDE was found. Only a history of alcohol intake was found to be associated with CDE (HR, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.09-14.1; P = 0.036). No significant difference in mortality was found in the study and control groups (2.9% vs 1.3%, P = 0.52), but patients with CDE were more likely to have acute kidney injury (AKI) than those without CDE (odds ratio, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.2-13.0. P = 0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

We identified a history of alcohol use a risk factor for CDE. Furthermore, CDE was found be associated with an increased risk for developing AKI.

Frequency and Risk Factors of Clostridium difficile Infection in Hospitalized Patients With Pouchitis: A Population-based Study

BACKGROUND

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in patients with the ileal pouch after proctocolectomy has been increasingly recognized. We sought to evaluate the frequency and risk factors of CDI in patients with the primary or secondary discharge diagnosis of pouchitis in the United States.

METHODS

We reviewed the National Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project and identified patients admitted for pouchitis with underlying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), between 2010 and 2012. Cases with CDI were identified based on a concomitant primary or secondary discharge diagnosis for CDI. The frequency of CDI was estimated in patients with underlying IBD and FAP. Multivariable analysis was conducted to study the risk factors associated with CDI in those with pouchitis with underlying IBD.

RESULTS

A total of 3566 eligible patients with pouchitis were identified during the study period. Eighty-nine patients (2.5%) had CDI as a concomitant primary or secondary discharge diagnosis. CDI was identified in 2.6% (99.9% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-3.8) of pouchitis patients with underling IBD. None of the patients with pouchitis with underlying FAP were found to have CDI during the study period. Among pouchitis patients with underlying IBD, the presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (odds ratio = 5.4; 95% CI, 1.5-19.9), obesity (odds ratio = 5.5; 95% CI, 1.4-21.4), or obstructive sleep apnea (odds ratio = 10.3; CI, 2.0-53.7) was associated with an increased risk of CDI.

CONCLUSIONS

It seems that CDI was limited to pouchitis with underlying IBD and rare in those with underlying FAP. Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, and obstructive sleep apnea are at an increased risk of C. difficile pouchitis among patients with IBD.

Faecal microbiota transplantation for recurring Clostridium difficile infection in a patient with Crohn's disease and ileorectal anastomosis

Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is increasingly being used to treat refractory and recurring Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Although FMT appears to be safe and highly effective in patients with a preserved colon and immunocompetence, its use in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who are on immunomodulating therapies is controversial. In particular, patients who have undergone colectomy may have different treatment responses to FMT. In this case report, we describe the successful use of FMT in a female patient aged 19 years with Crohn's disease who underwent ileorectal anastomosis following colectomy. She had recurrent CDIs that were refractory to metronidazole, pulse-tapered vancomycin and fidaxomicin treatments. She underwent 2 FMTs, which were performed via sigmoidoscopy; her mother served as a donor. Follow-up was conducted for 12 months and indicated sustained remission of CDI.

Two Patients with Fulminant Clostridium difficile Enteritis Who Had Not Undergone Total Colectomy: A Case Series and Review of the Literature

Introduction. Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of healthcare associated infectious diarrhea, and its most common clinical manifestation is pseudomembranous colitis. Small bowel enteritis is reported infrequently in the literature and typically occurs only in patients who have undergone ileal pouch anastomosis due to inflammatory bowel disease or total abdominal colectomy for other reasons. Presentation of Cases. We report here two cases in which patients developed small bowel C. difficile enteritis in the absence of these underlying conditions. Discussion. Neither patient had underlying inflammatory bowel disease and both had a significant amount of colon remaining. Conclusion. These two cases demonstrate that small bowel C. difficile enteritis should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients on antibiotic therapy who demonstrate signs and symptoms of worsening abdominal disease during their postoperative course, even if they lack the major predisposing factors of inflammatory bowel disease or history of total colectomy.

Racial Differences in Clostridium difficile Infection Rates Are Attributable to Disparities in Health Care Access

This study confirms previously reported racial differences in Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) rates in the United States and explores the nature of those differences. We conducted a retrospective study using the 2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample, the largest all-payer database of hospital discharges in the United States. We identified hospital stays most likely to include antibiotic treatment for infections, based on hospital discharge diagnoses, and we examined how CDI rates varied, in an attempt to distinguish between genotypic and environmental racial differences. Logistic regressions for the survey design were used to test hypotheses. Among patients likely to have received antibiotics, white patients had higher CDI rates than black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American patients (P < 0.0001). CDI rates increased with higher income levels and were higher for hospitalizations paid by private insurance versus those paid by Medicaid or classified as self-pay or free care (P < 0.0001). Among patients admitted from skilled nursing facilities, where racial bias in health care access is less, racial differences in CDI rates disappeared (P = 1.0). Infected patients did not show racial differences in rates of complicated CDI or death (P = 1.0). Although white patients had greater CDI rates than nonwhite patients, racial differences in CDI rates disappeared in a population for which health care access was presumed to be less racially biased. This provides evidence that apparent racial differences in CDI risks may represent health care access disparities, rather than genotypic differences. CDI represents a deviation from the paradigm that increased health care access is associated with less morbidity.

Postoperative diarrhea and high ostomy output impact postoperative outcomes after elective colon and rectal operations regardless of Clostridium difficile infection

BACKGROUND

We aimed to review and compare outcomes of patients with and without Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) after elective colorectal operations.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of patients with CDI after elective colon and rectal operations from 2007 to 2012 (Group A) was conducted. Outcomes were compared with patients with a negative C. difficile toxin assay performed for postoperative diarrhea or high stoma output (Group B) and matched controls (Group C).

RESULTS

Forty-four patients (median age 53 years) developed CDI postoperatively (Group A). Fourteen patients (32%) had surgical site infections. Both Group A and Group B patients received ertapenem as preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis significantly more often than matched controls (P < .0001), and also had significantly more surgical site infections (P = .004), longer hospital stays (P = .003), and more readmissions (P = .02) compared with Group C patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, postoperative CDI was uncommon, of low morbidity, and no mortality. Postoperative diarrhea and high stoma output, whether in patients who are C. difficile positive or not, appear to impact postoperative outcomes.

Learning Data-Driven Patient Risk Stratification Models for Clostridium difficile

BACKGROUND

Although many risk factors are well known, Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) continues to be a significant problem throughout the world. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a data-driven, hospital-specific risk stratification procedure for estimating the probability that an inpatient will test positive for C difficile.

METHODS

We consider electronic medical record (EMR) data from patients admitted for ≥24 hours to a large urban hospital in the U.S. between April 2011 and April 2013. Predictive models were constructed using L2-regularized logistic regression and data from the first year. The number of observational variables considered varied from a small set of well known risk factors readily available to a physician to over 10 000 variables automatically extracted from the EMR. Each model was evaluated on holdout admission data from the following year. A total of 34 846 admissions with 372 cases of CDI was used to train the model.

RESULTS

Applied to the separate validation set of 34 722 admissions with 355 cases of CDI, the model that made use of the additional EMR data yielded an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI], .79-.83), and it significantly outperformed the model that considered only the small set of known clinical risk factors, AUROC of 0.71 (95% CI, .69-.75).

CONCLUSIONS

Automated risk stratification of patients based on the contents of their EMRs can be used to accurately identify a high-risk population of patients. The proposed method holds promise for enabling the selective allocation of interventions aimed at reducing the rate of CDI.

Clostridium difficile enteritis: a new role for an old foe

BACKGROUND

Small bowel involvement of Clostridium difficile is increasingly encountered. Data on many management aspects are lacking.

AIM

To synthesis existing reports and assess the frequency, pathophysiology, outcomes, risk factors, diagnosis and management of C. difficle enteritis.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted to evaluate evidence regarding frequency, pathophysiology, risk factors, optimal diagnosis, management and outcomes for C. difficle enteritis. Three major databases (PubMed, MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library) were searched. The review included original articles reporting C. difficle enteritis from January 1950 to December 2012.

RESULTS

C. difficle enteritis is rare but increasingly encountered. Presentation is variable and distinct predisposing factors include emergency surgery, white race and increased age. Diagnosis generally involves a sensitive but often non specific screening test for C. difficile antigens. Oral metronidazole represents first line therapy and surgery may be required for complications. Outcomes are inconsistent but may be improving.

CONCLUSIONS

A high index of clinical suspicion, early diagnosis and treatment are vital. Further prospective studies are needed to determine the significance of asymptomatic small bowel C. difficile infections.

Clostridium difficile infection: management strategies for a difficult disease

Clostridium difficile was first described as a cause of diarrhea in 1978 and in the last three decades has reached an epidemic state with increasing incidence and severity in both healthcare and community settings. There also has been a rise in severe outcomes from C. difficile infection (CDI). There have been tremendous advancements in the field of CDI with the identification of newer risk factors, recognition of CDI in populations previously thought not at risk and development of better diagnostic modalities. Several treatment options are available for CDI apart from metronidazole and vancomycin, and include new drugs such as fidaxomicin and other options such as fecal microbiota transplantation. This review discusses the epidemiology, risk factors and outcomes from CDI, and focuses primarily on existing and evolving treatment modalities.

Recurrence of Clostridium difficile infection among veterans with spinal cord injury and disorder

BACKGROUND

Recurrent Clostridium difficile (CDI) infection is a growing concern; however, there are little data on impact of recurrent CDI on those with spinal cord injury and disorder (SCI/D). Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify risk factors associated with recurrence of CDI among Veterans with SCI/D.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study with data from outpatient, inpatient, and extended care settings at 83 Department of Veterans Affairs facilities from 2002 to 2009.

RESULTS

Of 1,464 cases of CDI analyzed, 315 cases (21.5%) had a first recurrence of CDI. Multivariable regression demonstrated that risk factors significantly associated with increased recurrence were concomitant fluoroquinolone use (odds ratio [OR], 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-1.80), whereas concomitant tetracycline use (OR, 0.35; 95% CI: 0.14-0.90), and cerebrovascular accident (OR, 0.46; 95% CI: 0.25-0.85) were associated with decreased recurrence. A subanalysis in those with health care facility-onset CDI showed that increased length of stay postinitial CDI was a significant risk factor for recurrence as was concomitant use of fluoroquinolones and that tetracycline remained protective for recurrence.

CONCLUSION

Concomitant fluoroquinolone use was a risk factor for the recurrence of CDI. In contrast, tetracyclines and cerebrovascular accident were protective. Length of stay greater than 90 days from the initial CDI episode was also a risk factor for recurrence among those with health care facility-onset CDI. Future studies should focus on effective strategies to prevent these risk factors among the SCI/D population.

Proton pump inhibitors and risk for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection among inpatients

OBJECTIVES

Observational studies suggest that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a risk factor for incident Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Data also suggest an association between PPIs and recurrent CDI, although large-scale studies focusing solely on hospitalized patients are lacking. We therefore performed a retrospective cohort analysis of inpatients with incident CDI to assess receipt of PPIs as a risk factor for CDI recurrence in this population.

METHODS

Using electronic medical records, we identified hospitalized adult patients between 1 December 2009 and 30 June 2012 with incident CDI, defined as a first positive stool test for C. difficile toxin B and who received appropriate treatment. Electronic records were parsed for clinical factors including receipt of PPIs, other acid suppression, non-CDI antibiotics, and comorbidities. The primary exposure was in-hospital PPIs given concurrently with C. difficile treatment. Recurrence was defined as a second positive stool test 15-90 days after the initial positive test. C. difficile recurrence rates in the PPI exposed and unexposed groups were compared with the log-rank test. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling was performed to control for demographics, comorbidities, and other clinical factors.

RESULTS

We identified 894 inpatients with incident CDI. The cumulative incidence of CDI recurrence in the cohort was 23%. Receipt of PPIs concurrent with CDI treatment was not associated with C. difficile recurrence (hazard ratio (HR)=0.82; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.58-1.16). Black race (HR=1.66, 95% CI=1.05-2.63), increased age (HR=1.02, 95% CI=1.01-1.03), and increased comorbidities (HR=1.09, 95% CI=1.04-1.14) were associated with CDI recurrence. In light of a higher 90-day mortality seen among those who received PPIs (log-rank P=0.02), we also analyzed the subset of patients who survived to 90 days of follow-up. Again, there was no association between PPIs and CDI recurrence (HR=0.87; 95% CI=0.60-1.28). Finally, there was no association between recurrent CDI and increased duration or dose of PPIs.

CONCLUSIONS

Among hospitalized adults with C. difficile, receipt of PPIs concurrent with C. difficile treatment was not associated with CDI recurrence. Black race, increased age, and increased comorbidities significantly predicted recurrence. Future studies should test interventions to prevent CDI recurrence among high-risk inpatients.

Impact of Clostridium difficile colitis following closure of a diverting loop ileostomy: results of a matched cohort study

AIM

Previous reports describing Clostridium difficile colitis (CDC) developing after the closure of a loop ileostomy suggest it is severe. In this study the incidence of CDC following ileostomy closure and its effect on the postoperative outcome have been studied.

METHOD

Patients undergoing closure of loop ileostomy from 2004 to 2008 were analysed using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Patients who developed postoperative CDC (n = 217) were matched 10:1 to a propensity-score-matched cohort of patients without CDC (n = 13 245). Linear and logistic regression were used to examine the effect of CDC on hospital cost (US dollars), length of stay and mortality rates. Population resampling was performed using nearest neighbour bootstrapping to confirm the validity of the results.

RESULTS

The incidence of CDC following ileostomy closure was 16 per 1000 patients. The mean length of stay was 11.5 days longer among CDC patients (P < 0.0001), with a greater cost of hospitalization of US$21 240 (P < 0.0001). There was no difference in mortality between the cohorts.

CONCLUSION

CDC following ileostomy closure is an uncommon, costly and morbid complication. Patients undergoing stoma closure are at high risk for an adverse outcome if they have CDC. Should it develop they should be aggressively treated.

Clostridium difficile infection in children: a comprehensive review

OBJECTIVE

To provide a comprehensive review of the literature relating to Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection (CDI) in the pediatric population.

METHODS

Two investigators conducted independent searches of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus until March 31st, 2013. All databases were searched using the terms 'Clostridium difficile infection', 'Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea' 'antibiotic associated diarrhea', 'C. difficile', in combination with 'pediatric' and 'paediatric'. Articles which discussed pediatric CDI were reviewed and relevant cross references also read and evaluated for inclusion. Selection bias could be a possible limitation of this approach.

FINDINGS

There is strong evidence for an increased incidence of pediatric CDI. Increasingly, the infection is being acquired from the community, often without a preceding history of antibiotic use. The severity of the disease has remained unchanged. Several medical conditions may be associated with the development of pediatric CDI. Infection prevention and control with antimicrobial stewardship are of paramount importance. It is important to consider the age of the child while testing for CDI. Traditional therapy with metronidazole or vancomycin remains the mainstay of treatment. Newer antibiotics such as fidaxomicin appear promising especially for the treatment of recurrent infection. Conservative surgical options may be a life-saving measure in severe or fulminant cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric providers should be cognizant of the increased incidence of CDI in children. Early and judicious testing coupled with the timely institution of therapy will help to secure better outcomes for this disease.

Clostridium difficile enteritis: A report of two cases and systematic literature review

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is the most common cause of healthcare associated infectious diarrhea. In the last decade, the incidence of C. difficile infection has increased dramatically. The virulence of C. difficile has also increased recently with toxigenic strains developing. C. difficile is generally a disease of the colon and presents with abdominal pain and diarrhea due to colitis. However, C. difficile enteritis has been reported rarely. The initial reports suggested mortality rates as high as 66%. The incidence of C. difficile enteritis appears to be increasing in parallel to the increase in colonic infections. We present two cases of patients who had otherwise uneventful abdominal surgery but subsequently developed C. difficile enteritis. Our literature review demonstrates 81 prior cases of C. difficile enteritis described in case reports. The mortality of the disease remains high at approximately 25%. Early recognition and intervention may reduce the high mortality associated with this disease process.