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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
07:06
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation via Colonoscopy for Recurrent C. difficile Infection
Published on: December 8, 2014
Systematic review: Clostridium difficile and inflammatory bowel disease.
J R Goodhand1, W Alazawi, D S Rampton
1Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Queen Mary's University, London, UK.
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics
|January 5, 2011
Summary
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is increasingly recognized in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. However, evidence for rising incidence and worsening outcomes in IBD requires further investigation, necessitating urgent therapeutic trials.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- Growing concern exists regarding the incidence and outcomes of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- A systematic literature review was conducted to assess CDI in IBD, focusing on incidence, risk factors, endoscopic findings, treatment, and outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the existing literature on Clostridium difficile and inflammatory bowel disease.
Main Methods:
- Searched PubMed for original, cross-sectional, cohort, and case-controlled studies published up to September 2010.
- Included 42 studies out of 407 initial results, noting heterogeneity that prevented meta-analysis.
Main Results:
- CDI is more prevalent in active IBD, especially ulcerative colitis, compared to controls.
- Risk factors include immunosuppressants and antibiotics; however, the temporal trend of increasing CDI incidence in IBD is uncertain due to potential biases.
- Endoscopic findings like pseudomembranes are uncommon and unhelpful for CDI diagnosis in IBD patients.
- Outcomes for hospitalized IBD patients with CDI appear worse than for controls.
Conclusions:
- While CDI in IBD has gained attention, its increasing incidence and worsening outcomes remain unproven.
- There is a critical lack of controlled therapeutic trials for CDI in IBD patients, highlighting an urgent need for such research.
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