Oral Vancomycin Prophylaxis for Primary and Secondary Prevention of Clostridioides difficile Infection in Patients Treated with Systemic Antibiotic Therapy: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis

Prophylactic Vancomycin in the Primary Prevention of Clostridium difficile in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant

BACKGROUND

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection is a frequent complication following hematopoietic stem cell transplant, contributing to increased morbidity in this population. Despite current infection prevention strategies, rates among posttransplant patients at some centers remain high. Oral vancomycin is a safe and well-tolerated antibiotic that may be a potential adjunct to prevent C. difficile.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness of oral vancomycin in preventing C. difficile among allogeneic stem cell transplant patients and assess other posttransplant outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study was conducted comparing the rate of C. difficile following allogeneic transplant in patients who received oral vancomycin versus no prophylaxis during hospitalization. The primary outcome was the development of C. difficile infection within the first 100 days following transplant, defined as a positive stool toxin assay or PCR. Secondary outcomes included hospital length of stay, hospital-acquired infections, overall mortality, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and rehospitalization.

RESULTS

Among the 202 patients, one case of C. difficile occurred in the prophylaxis group (1/71, 1.4%) compared to 31 cases in the unexposed group (31/131, 23.6%). Patients who received prophylaxis were significantly less likely to develop C. difficile infection during the study period (OR 0.046, p = 0.003). No differences were observed between groups in hospital-acquired infections, mortality, incidence of acute GVHD, and rehospitalization.

CONCLUSION

Prophylactic vancomycin was associated with a marked reduction in C. difficile infection in allogeneic transplant patients. Despite no significant impact on other clinical outcomes, there was a significant reduction in symptomatic C. difficile infection. Further prospective studies are warranted.

Breaking the Cycle of Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infections: A Narrative Review Exploring Current and Novel Therapeutic Strategies

Clostridioides difficile is a toxin-producing bacteria that is a main cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI) are associated with disruptions within the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota which can be further exacerbated by CDI-targeted antibiotic treatment thereby causing recurrent CDI (rCDI) and compounding the burden placed on patients and the healthcare system. Treatment of rCDI consists of antibiotics which can be paired with preventative therapeutics, such as bezlotoxumab or fecal microbiota transplants (FMTs), if sustained clinical response is not obtained. Newer preventative strategies have been recently approved to assist in restoring balance within the GI system with the goal of preventing recurrent infections.

Therapeutics involved in managing initial and recurrent Clostridium difficile infection: An updated literature review

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has been increasing due to the effect of recurrent hospitalizations. The use of antibiotics has been shown to alter the gut microbiome and lead to CDIs. The treatment is limited to three major antibiotics; however, the incidence of recurrent CDIs has been increasing and drug resistance is a major concern. This aspect is a growing concern in modern medicine especially in the elderly population, critical care patients, and immunocompromised individuals who are at high risk of developing CDIs. Clostridium difficile can lead to various complications including septic shock and fulminant colitis that could prove to be lethal in these patients. Newer modalities of treatment have been developed including bezlotoxumab, a monoclonal antibody and fecal microbiota transplant. There have been studies showing asymptomatic carriers and drug resistance posing a major threat to the healthcare system. Newer treatment options are being studied to treat and prevent CDIs. This review will provide an insight into the current treatment modalities, prevention and newer modalities of treatment and challenges faced in the treatment of CDIs.

Fighting against Clostridioides difficile infection: Current medications

Clostridioides difficile (formerly Clostridium difficile) has been regarded as an 'urgent threat' and a significant global health problem, as life-threatening diarrhoea and refractory recurrence are common in patients with C. difficile infection (CDI). Unfortunately, the available anti-CDI drugs are limited. Recent guidelines recommend fidaxomicin and vancomycin as first-line drugs to treat CDI, bezlotoxumab to prevent recurrence, and faecal microbiota transplantation for rescue treatment. Currently, researchers are investigating therapeutic antibacterial drugs (e.g. teicoplanin, ridinilazole, ibezapolstat, surotomycin, cadazolid, and LFF571), preventive medications against recurrence (e.g. Rebyota, Vowst, VP20621, VE303, RBX7455, and MET-2), primary prevention strategies (e.g. vaccine, ribaxamase, and DAV132) and other anti-CDI medications in the preclinical stage (e.g. Raja 42, Myxopyronin B, and bacteriophage). This narrative review summarises current medications, including newly marketed drugs and products in development against CDI, to help clinicians treat CDI appropriately and to call for more research on innovation.

Clostridioides difficile infection: history, epidemiology, risk factors, prevention, clinical manifestations, treatment, and future options

SUMMARYClostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the major issues in nosocomial infections. This bacterium is constantly evolving and poses complex challenges for clinicians, often encountered in real-life scenarios. In the face of CDI, we are increasingly equipped with new therapeutic strategies, such as monoclonal antibodies and live biotherapeutic products, which need to be thoroughly understood to fully harness their benefits. Moreover, interesting options are currently under study for the future, including bacteriophages, vaccines, and antibiotic inhibitors. Surveillance and prevention strategies continue to play a pivotal role in limiting the spread of the infection. In this review, we aim to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of epidemiological aspects, predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnostic tools, and current and future prophylactic and therapeutic options for C. difficile infection.

Impact of oral vancomycin treatment duration on rate of Clostridioides difficile recurrence in patients requiring concurrent systemic antibiotics

BACKGROUND

There is a paucity of data guiding treatment duration of oral vancomycin for Clostridiodes difficile infection (CDI) in patients requiring concomitant systemic antibiotics.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate prescribing practices of vancomycin for CDI in patients that required concurrent systemic antibiotics and to determine whether a prolonged duration of vancomycin (>14 days), compared to a standard duration (10-14 days), decreased CDI recurrence.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, we evaluated adult hospitalized patients with an initial episode of CDI who were treated with vancomycin and who received overlapping systemic antibiotics for >72 hours. Outcomes of interest included CDI recurrence and isolation of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE).

RESULTS

Among the 218 patients included, 36% received a standard duration and 64% received a prolonged duration of treatment for a median of 13 days (11-14) and 20 days (16-26), respectively. Patients who received a prolonged duration had a longer median duration of systemic antibiotic overlap with vancomycin (11 vs 8 days; P < .001) and significantly more carbapenem use and infectious disease consultation. Recurrence at 8 weeks (12% standard duration vs 8% prolonged duration; P = .367), recurrence at 6 months (15% standard duration vs 10% prolonged duration; P = .240), and VRE isolation (3% standard duration vs 9% prolonged duration; P = .083) were not significantly different between groups. Discontinuation of vancomycin prior to completion of antibiotics was an independent predictor of 8-week recurrence on multivariable logistic regression (OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.3-18.1).

CONCLUSIONS

Oral vancomycin prescribing relative to the systemic antibiotic end date may affect CDI recurrence to a greater extent than total vancomycin duration alone. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Treating Helicobacter pylori and Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Coinfection: A Delicate Balance in Management and a Need for Guidelines

Treating Helicobacter pylori and Clostridioides difficile coinfection presents a challenging clinical dilemma. Treating H. pylori may increase the risk of C. difficile, and antibiotics generally have been shown to increase the risk of C. difficile infection/recurrence. While it may be reasonable to delay H. pylori treatment, this is especially challenging when there is an acute indication to treat H. pylori such as peptic ulceration or bleeding. There are no guidelines on the management of H. pylori and C. difficile coinfection. We report a patient who had H. pylori and recurrent C. difficile coinfection and suggest a management algorithm based on literature review and our institutional experience. Our patient received quadruple therapy for H. pylori along with vancomycin prophylaxis, taper, and a dose of bezlotoxumab and experienced good outcomes with resolution of his gastrointestinal bleeding and diarrhea.

Use of electronic health record data to identify hospital-associated Clostridioides difficile infections: a validation study

Background

Clinical research focused on the burden and impact of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) often relies upon accurate identification of cases using existing health record data. Use of diagnosis codes alone can lead to misclassification of cases. Our goal was to develop and validate a multi-component algorithm to identify hospital-associated CDI (HA-CDI) cases using electronic health record (EHR) data.

Methods

We performed a validation study using a random sample of adult inpatients at a large academic hospital setting in Portland, Oregon from January 2018 to March 2020. We excluded patients with CDI on admission and those with short lengths of stay (< 4 days). We tested a multi-component algorithm to identify HA-CDI; case patients were required to have received an inpatient course of metronidazole, oral vancomycin, or fidaxomicin and have at least one of the following: a positive C. difficile laboratory test or the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code for non-recurrent CDI. For a random sample of 80 algorithm-identified HA-CDI cases and 80 non-cases, we performed manual EHR review to identify gold standard of HA-CDI diagnosis. We then calculated overall percent accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value for the algorithm overall and for the individual components.

Results

Our case definition algorithm identified HA-CDI cases with 94% accuracy (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 88% to 97%). We achieved 100% sensitivity (94% to 100%), 89% specificity (81% to 95%), 88% positive predictive value (78% to 94%), and 100% negative predictive value (95% to 100%). Requiring a positive C. difficile test as our gold standard further improved diagnostic performance (97% accuracy [93% to 99%], 93% PPV [85% to 98%]).

Conclusions

Our algorithm accurately detected true HA-CDI cases from EHR data in our patient population. A multi-component algorithm performs better than any isolated component. Requiring a positive laboratory test for C. difficile strengthens diagnostic performance even further. Accurate detection could have important implications for CDI tracking and research.

The management of Clostridioides difficile infection: from empirism to evidence

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in clinical practice represents a challenge for its management and also prevention of recurrence. Even though there are updated guidelines for infection prevention, control and treatment, CDI remains a leading cause of healthcare acquired diarrhea with increasing incidence in the community. We present here a synthesis of the most recent international guidelines on the management of CDI. In 2021 updated guidelines on the treatment of CDI in adults were published by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID). These guidelines focused on CDI management in adults, including new data on the clinical efficacy of Fidaxomicin (FDX) and Bezlotoxumab. The 2017 publication of IDSA and SHEA - Clinical Practice Guidelines for Clostridium difficile infection also included pediatric treatment recommendations that are not a part of the 2021 update. Vancomycin (VAN) treatment for an initial CDI episode remains an acceptable alternative to FDX, considering the monetary and logistical challenge of acquiring FDX. There is growing literature on fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and the 2021 guidelines describe its role in severe complicated refractory CDI cases and for which surgical management is not feasible. Moreover, there are new data on the secondary prophylaxis with VAN in refractory CDI in patients with risk factors who receive broad spectrum antibiotics.

Impact of Clostridioides difficile length of treatment on rates of recurrence in patients on concurrent antibiotics

BACKGROUND

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is principally health care-associated, with a substantial impact on morbidity and mortality. The guidelines recommend CDI therapy for 10 days; however, it is often extended in practice when concurrent antibiotics are used. The impact of the extended duration of therapy remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the rates of CDI recurrence in patients receiving standard duration of therapy (SDT) with those receiving extended duration of therapy (EDT) for the treatment of hospital-acquired CDI (HA-CDI) while receiving concurrent antibiotics.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was conducted between October 2017 and 2019. Adult HA-CDI patients who received a minimum 10 days of CDI therapy and were on concurrent antibiotics were stratified into SDT and EDT groups. Rates of CDI recurrence (at 90 and 180 days) and incidence of new-onset vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) were compared.

RESULTS

Two hundred twenty-three patients met the inclusion criteria (SD-106, EDT-117). CDI recurrence rates at 90 and 180 days were not statistically significant between SDT and EDT groups (22% vs 26%, P = .40% and 26% vs 31%, P = .47). Although the incidence of VRE within the extended group was higher, it was not statistically significant (6% vs 9%, P = .29).

CONCLUSIONS

No significant difference in rates of recurrence or new-onset VRE was observed between SDT and EDT in HA-CDI patients.

Evaluation of the effectiveness and safety of oral vancomycin versus placebo in the prevention of recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection in patients under systemic antibiotic therapy: a phase III, randomised, double-blind clinical trial

INTRODUCTION

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the most prevalent cause of nosocomial bacterial diarrhoea and it is strongly associated with antibiotic use. The recurrence of CDI is a growing medical problem. Data from real-life studies and one open label randomised clinical trial (RCT) suggest that secondary prophylaxis with oral vancomycin (SPV) during subsequent courses of systemic antibiotics is a promising approach for reducing the risk of CDI recurrence. Our aim is to confirm the role of SPV through a double-blind RCT.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will perform a phase III, multicentre, placebo-controlled RCT (PREVAN trial) in a 2:1 ratio in favour of SPV (experimental treatment), in four tertiary care hospitals in Spain. Adult patients (≥18 years) with a previous history of CDI in the previous 180 days and with requirement for hospitalisation and systemic antibiotic therapy will be randomly allocated to receive either 125 mg of oral vancomycin or placebo every 6 hours for 10 days. Patients will be followed for 60 days after the end of treatment to verify a reduction in the rate of CDI recurrence in the experimental group. We assume a recurrence rate of 5% in the experimental group versus 25% in the placebo group. Accepting an alpha risk of 0.05 and a beta risk of 0.2 in a two-sided test, 104 subjects will be required in total (68 assigned to the SPV group and 34 to the placebo group).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval has been obtained from the Ethic Committee for Research with medicinal products of the University Hospital '12 de Octubre' (AC069/18) and from the Spanish Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (AEMPS, AC069/18), which is valid for all participating centres under existing Spanish legislation. The results will be presented at international meetings and will be made available to patients and funders.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05320068.

Clinical Practice Guidelines of the Scientific Society for the Clinical Study of Human Microbiome, of the Russian Gastroenterological Association and the Russian Society for the Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases on the Diagnosis and Treatment of <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> (<i>C. difficile</i>)-associated Disease in Adults

Аim: the clinical practice guidelines intended for gastroenterologists, internal medicine specialists, infectious disease specialists, general practitioners (family doctors), coloproctologists, surgeons and endoscopists present modern methods of diagnosis, prevention and treatment of C. difficile-associated disease.

Key points. C. difficile-associated disease is a disease that develops when the diversity of the intestinal microbiota decreases and C. difficile excessively colonizes the colon, the toxins of which damage the intestinal muco-epithelial barrier, followed by the development of inflammation in the colon wall, with diarrhea being a characteristic clinical manifestation. The clinical presentation of the disease can vary from asymptomatic carriage, mild to moderate diarrhea that resolves on its own, to profuse watery diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis with development of life-threatening complications. The diagnosis of C. difficile-associated disease is based on an assessment of the clinical presentation, medical history, an objective examination of the patient and laboratory stool tests. The disease severity is determined by clinical symptoms and laboratory findings. Additional diagnostic methods that are used according to indications and contribute to the assessment of severity include endoscopy of the colon and abdominal cavity imaging methods. Treatment should be initiated in cases of characteristic clinical presentation of C. difficile-associated disease and positive laboratory stool testing. The choice of drug and treatment regimen depends on the severity of the episode, the presence of complications, and whether the episode is initial, recurrent, or reinfection.

Conclusion. Determination of target groups of patients for the diagnosis of clostridial infection is important in preventing overdiagnosis and subsequent unnecessary treatment. Timely diagnosis and treatment of C. difficile-associated disease help avoiding the development of life-threatening complications and improve the prognosis and quality of life of patients.

Clostridioides difficile resistance to antibiotics, including post-COVID-19 data

INTRODUCTION

Updating data on Clostridioides difficile antibiotic resistance is important for treatment improvement of C. difficile infections (CDIs).

AREAS COVERED

Results from 20 countries were included. The mean resistance to 2 mg/l vancomycin, 2 mg/l metronidazole, 4 mg/l moxifloxacin, and 4 mg/l clindamycin was 4.7% (0 to ≥ 26% in two studies), 2.6% (0 to ≥ 40% in 3 studies), 34.9% (6.6->80%), and 61.0% (30->90%), respectively. Resistance to erythromycin (>60-88%), rifampin (>23-55.0%), imipenem (0.6 to > 78% in a clone), tigecycline (0-<5.0%), and fidaxomicin (0-2%) was also found. Resistance to ≥ 5 antibiotics of different classes was reported in some countries. High resistance and multidrug resistance were observed in hypervirulent and epidemic strains. Although only 1% of COVID-19 patients had CDIs, the proportion might be underestimated.

EXPERT OPINION

C. difficile antimicrobial susceptibility varied by country/region, study period, and circulating ribotypes. For CDI treatment, fidaxomicin (preferably) or vancomycin is recommended, while metronidazole is suitable for mild infections. New approaches, including biotherapeutics (Rebyota), strains, antibiotics (ridinilazole and ibezapolstat), and monoclonal antibodies/cocktails merit further evaluation. Because of the resistance rate variations, C. difficile antibiotic susceptibility should be regularly monitored. Post-COVID-19 resistance should be separately presented. Some discrepancies between vancomycin and metronidazole results need to be clarified.

Microbiome-Related and Infection Control Approaches to Primary and Secondary Prevention of Clostridioides difficile Infections

Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) have decreased in the past years, but since 2021, some hospitals have reported an increase in CDI rates. CDI remains a global concern and has been identified as an urgent threat to healthcare. Although multiple treatment options are available, prevention strategies are more limited. As CDI is an opportunistic infection that arises after the normally protective microbiome has been disrupted, preventive measures aimed at restoring the microbiome have been tested. Our aim is to update the present knowledge on these various preventive strategies published in the past five years (2018-2023) to guide clinicians and healthcare systems on how to best prevent CDI. A literature search was conducted using databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and clinicaltrials.gov) for phase 2-3 clinical trials for the primary or secondary prevention of CDI and microbiome and probiotics. As the main factor for Clostridium difficile infections is the disruption of the normally protective intestinal microbiome, strategies aimed at restoring the microbiome seem most rational. Some strains of probiotics, the use of fecal microbial therapy, and live biotherapeutic products offer promise to fill this niche; although, more large randomized controlled trials are needed that document the shifts in the microbiome population.

Opportunities for Antimicrobial Stewardship Interventions Among Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Although antimicrobial stewardship programs have excelled over the past decade, uptake and application of these programs to special populations such as solid organ transplant recipients have lagged. Here, we review the value of antimicrobial stewardship for transplant centers and highlight data supporting interventions that are ripe for adoption. In addition, we review the design of antimicrobial stewardship initiatives, targets for both syndromic and system-based interventions.

Controversies in the Prevention and Treatment of Clostridioides difficile Infection in Adults: A Narrative Review

Clostridioides difficile remains a problematic pathogen resulting in significant morbidity and mortality, especially for high-risk groups that include immunocompromised patients. Both the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (IDSA/SHEA), as well as the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) recently provided guideline updates for C. difficile infection (CDI). In this narrative review, the authors reviewed available literature regarding the prevention or treatment of CDI in adults and focused on disagreements between the IDSA/SHEA and ACG guidelines, as well as articles that have been published since the updates. Several options for primary prophylaxis are available, including probiotics and antibiotics (vancomycin, fidaxomicin). The literature supporting fidaxomicin is currently quite limited. While there are more studies evaluating probiotics and vancomycin, the optimal patient populations and regimens for their use have yet to be defined. While the IDSA/SHEA guidelines discourage metronidazole use for mild CDI episodes, evidence exists that it may remain a reasonable option for these patients. Fidaxomicin has an advantage over vancomycin in reducing recurrences, but its use is limited by cost. Despite this, recent studies suggest fidaxomicin's cost-effectiveness as a first-line therapy, though this is highly dependent on institutional contracts and payment structures. Secondary prophylaxis should focus on non-antimicrobial options to lessen the impact on the microbiome. The oral option of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), SER109, and the now FDA-approved RBX2660 represent exciting new options to correct dysbiosis. Bezlotoxumab is another attractive option to prevent recurrences. Further head-to-head studies of newer agents will be needed to guide selection of the optimal therapies for CDI primary and secondary prophylaxis.

Comparison of the Risk of Recurrent Clostridioides Difficile Infections Among Patients in 2018 Versus 2013

Among persons with an initial Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) across 10 US sites in 2018 compared with 2013, 18.3% versus 21.1% had ≥1 recurrent CDI (rCDI) within 180 days. We observed a 16% lower adjusted risk of rCDI in 2018 versus 2013 (P < .0001).

Houston, We Have a Problem: Reports of Clostridioides difficile Isolates with Reduced Vancomycin Susceptibility

During the past 4 decades, oral vancomycin has been a mainstay of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) therapy with no reports of treatment failure due to emergence of vancomycin resistance. However, C. difficile isolates with high-level phenotypic resistance to vancomycin have recently been reported in 3 distinct geographic regions. There is an urgent need for surveillance to determine if strains with reduced vancomycin susceptibility are circulating in other areas. In a Cleveland area hospital, screening of 176 CDI stool specimens yielded no C. difficile isolates with reduced vancomycin susceptibility and highlighted the potential for false-positive results due to contamination with vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Additional studies are needed to clarify whether reduced vancomycin susceptibility is an emerging problem that will alter clinical practice. Clinicians should alert their health department if they observe a substantial increase in the frequency of vancomycin treatment failure in patients diagnosed with CDI with no alternative explanation for diarrhea.

Editorial for the Special Issue: "Current and Novel Antimicrobial Strategies for Bacterial and Fungal Infections by Resistant Organisms"

The pandemic driven by the SARS-CoV-2 infection has compelled health services globally to direct all available human and economic resources toward fighting the novel coronavirus [...].