Incidence and risk factors of Clostridium difficile infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

UNLABELLED: Recent changes in the epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) include the identification of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as a group at risk in comparison to the general population.

AIM: To identify the incidence and risk factors for CDI among patients with IBD.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Case-control study of 78 patients diagnosed with IBD, hospitalized at the Iasi Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology between January 2012 and -July 2014. Demographic data and clinical characteristics were reviewed for all patients. IBD patients with positive C. difficile toxins A and B tests were matched by sex, age and type of IBD with IBD patients hospitalized in the same period with negative C. difficile toxins tests.

RESULTS: Both groups were comparable for baseline characteristics. Of the 78 patients diagnosed with IBD included in the study, C. difficile was detected in 26 patients (33.33%). There was no statistical difference regarding length of hospital stay (10.42 ± 7.34 vs. 8.01 ± 16.14 days, p = 0.129) between the two study groups. Risk factors for CDI in patients with IBD were: ulcerative colitis (OR = 1.90, CI = 1.320-2.720, p = 0.001), use of proton pump inhibitors (OR = 1.57, CI = 1.133-2.032, p = 0.012), previous antibiotic use (OR = 2.3, CI = 1.587-3.332, p < 0.0001), and albumin < 3 g/dl (OR = 1.78, CI = 1.023-5.558, p = 0.038). Immunosuppressive and anti TNF-α treatment were not risk factors for C. difficile development in patients with IBD.

CONCLUSIONS: CDI in patients with IBD is a serious infection and should be treated aggressively with close clinical follow-up. Ulcerative colitis, previous treatment with antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors represent risk factors for CDI development in patients with IBD.