Pseudomembranous colitis in spinal cord injury

Pseudomembranous colitis is a well-known disease associated with antibiotic administration and caused by the Clostridium difficile toxin. Clinical presentation is usually marked by watery diarrhea, crampy abdominal pain, and fever. Since early appropriate therapy can reduce morbidity and mortality, it is important for health care professionals to be aware of this disease. Patients with spinal cord injury have a relatively high incidence of respiratory and urinary tract infections that are treated with antibiotics. Therefore, these patients theoretically have a higher risk of contracting pseudomembranous colitis. This article presents a case report of a spinal cord injured patient with this disease who has several of the common difficulties encountered in the diagnosis and treatment, such as indeterminate assays and relapses. The clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of pseudomembranous colitis are described.