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Published on: July 16, 2020
Pseudomembranous colitis in cystic fibrosis
1Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Children's Hospital for Wales, Cardiff, Wales. rajjuprasad@gmail.com
Paediatric Respiratory Reviews
|April 23, 2013
Summary
Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients rarely develop C. difficile colitis, even with high C. difficile carriage rates. Pseudomembranous colitis is more common in adult CF patients post-lung transplant.
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Pulmonology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients frequently require antibiotics and hospitalizations, increasing potential Clostridioides difficile exposure.
- High colonization rates of C. difficile are observed in children with CF, yet symptomatic colitis is uncommon.
Observation:
- Despite high C. difficile carriage rates in pediatric CF populations, the incidence of C. difficile-associated colitis is notably low.
- Pseudomembranous colitis, a severe form of C. difficile infection, is more frequently diagnosed in adult CF patients following lung transplantation.
Findings:
- The study highlights a discrepancy between C. difficile carriage and clinical manifestation of colitis in CF patients.
- Pseudomembranous colitis, though rare, presents a significant risk, particularly in specific CF subpopulations.
Implications:
- Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for pseudomembranous colitis in CF patients with abdominal symptoms, irrespective of diarrhea presence.
- This underscores the need for tailored diagnostic and management strategies for C. difficile infections in cystic fibrosis care pathways.
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