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Clin Transplant 2019 Apr 19:e13564. Epub 2019 Apr 19.

Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.

These updated guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice address the prevention and management of Clostridium difficile infection in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) is among the most common hospital acquired infections. In SOT recipients the incidence of CDI varies by type and number or organs transplanted. Read More

SAGE Open Med Case Rep 2019 19;7:2050313X19838442. Epub 2019 Mar 19.

Clinic of Gastroenterology, Adana City Research and Education Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Adana, Turkey.

The infection-related disease varies from mild diarrhoea to pseudomembranouscolitis. Although infection is commonly considered to be a hospital-acquired infection, a significant number of cases are community acquired. Community-acquired infection can exhibit itself as ileus or toxic megacolon. Read More

World J Emerg Surg 2019;14. Epub 2019 Feb 28.

74Emergency Surgery Department, Maggiore Parma Hospital, Parma, Italy.

In the last three decades, infection (CDI) has increased in incidence and severity in many countries worldwide. The increase in CDI incidence has been particularly apparent among surgical patients. Therefore, prevention of CDI and optimization of management in the surgical patient are paramount. Read More

Dig Dis Sci 2019 02 25;64(2):382-390. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Division of Gastroenterology, University of California San Diego, 9452 Medical Center Drive, ACTRI 1W501, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.

Background And Aims: Gastrointestinal pathogen panels (GPPs) are increasingly being used for evaluation of diarrhea. The impact of these tests on patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is unknown. We performed a time-interrupted cohort study comparing GPPs and conventional stool evaluation in patients with IBD with diarrhea. Read More

Rev Esp Quimioter 2018 Oct 14;31(5):411-418. Epub 2018 Sep 14.

Emilio Bouza Santiago, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, C/ Dr. Esquerdo, 46,28007 Madrid, Spain.

Objective: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a highly effective therapy for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (R-CDI). Despite its excellent efficacy, it is still not a routine procedure in most European centers. FMT has not been widely used in Spain to date. Read More

J Urol 2019 02;201(2):342-349

Purpose: The development of Clostridium difficile infection after cystectomy is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We implemented a prospective screening program to identify asymptomatic carriers of C. difficile and assessed its impact on clinical C. Read More

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2018 Dec 3;37(12):2293-2299. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

Service de Biologie, Unité de Microbiologie, Centre Hospitalier de Versailles, Le Chesnay, France.

Our aim was to study Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in peripartum women in France and compare them to cases published in the literature. We characterize these infections regarding clinico-biological features and specific risk factors in order to raise awareness for obstetricians and midwifes. Eight antepartum and six post-partum CDI cases were retrospectively studied in 6 French centers during the period between 2008 and 2013. Read More

Am Surg 2018 May;84(5):628-632

Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA.

Frailty has been noted as a powerful predictive preoperative tool for 30-day postoperative complications. We sought to evaluate the association between frailty and postoperative outcomes after colectomy for Clostridium difficile colitis. The National Surgical Quality and Improvement Program cross-institutional database was used for this study. Read More

Curr Gastroenterol Rep 2018 Jun 9;20(7):30. Epub 2018 Jun 9.

Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Louisville, 550 S. Jackson St., Ambulatory Care Building 3nd Floor, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) has become established as an effective therapeutic modality in the treatment of antibiotic-refractory recurrent Clostridium difficile colitis. A number of formulations and methods of delivery of FMT are currently available, each with distinct advantages. This review aims to review donor and patient selection for FMT as well as procedural aspects of FMT to help guide clinical practice. Read More

Tech Coloproctol 2018 03 5;22(3):191-199. Epub 2018 Mar 5.

Department of Surgery, Steinberg-Bernstein Centre for Minimally-Invasive Surgery and Innovation, McGill University Health Centre, 1650 Cedar Avenue, E19-125, Montreal, QC, H3G 1A4, Canada.

Background: Despite the implementation of enhanced recovery pathways (ERP), morbidity following colorectal surgery remains high. The aim of the present study was to estimate the impact of postoperative complications on excess hospital length of stay (LOS) in patients undergoing elective colorectal resection.

Methods: A retrospective study of patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery at a single institution from 2003 to 2010 was performed. Read More

Clin Microbiol Infect 2018 Jul 2;24(7):682-683. Epub 2018 Mar 2.

Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands; European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Study Group for Clostridium difficile (ESGCD).

Clin J Gastroenterol 2018 Aug 1;11(4):309-311. Epub 2018 Mar 1.

Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8, Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan.

Liver transplant recipients are considered to be at high risk for Clostridium difficile infection, with an incidence of 2.7-8.0%, which is three times higher than that among other patients. Read More

Clin Orthop Relat Res 2018 03;476(3):453-462

Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.

Background: Patients with geriatric hip fractures may be at increased risk for postoperative Clostridium difficile colitis, which can cause severe morbidity and can influence hospital quality metrics. However, to our knowledge, no large database study has calculated the incidence of, factors associated with, and effect of C. difficile colitis on geriatric patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. Read More

Gastroenterology 2018 08 2;155(2):e11-e12. Epub 2018 Feb 2.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama.

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Jan 26;2018. Epub 2018 Jan 26.

Imaging Department, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.

While imaging appearances of pseudomembranous colitis are commonly recognised, radiological manifestations of -associated enteritis are poorly understood which, combined with the rarity of this infection involving small bowel, makes establishing the correct diagnosis challenging. Therefore, in order to encourage awareness of readers, we present a case of enteritis that manifested as abdominal sepsis complicating the postoperative period in a middle-aged woman with fistulating Crohn's disease and defunctioning ileostomy. Radiological appearances are described based on three consecutive CT studies performed 5 days prior to onset of symptoms, during the peak of enteritis, corresponding with the patient's clinical deterioration, and also 35 days later following treatment and resolution. Read More

J Arthroplasty 2018 05 2;33(5):1534-1538. Epub 2017 Dec 2.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.

Background: With the increased demand for primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and corresponding rise in revision procedures, it is imperative to understand the factors contributing to the development of Clostridium difficile colitis. We aimed to provide a detailed analysis of: (1) the incidence of; (2) the demographics, lengths of stay, and total costs for; and (3) the risk factors and mortality associated with the development of C. difficile colitis after revision THA. Read More

J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2018 01;84(1):203-204

From the Academic Department of Military Surgery and Trauma (D.N.N., D.M.B.), Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom; NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre (D.N.N.), Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom; and University of Birmingham (D.N.N., A.B.), Birmingham, UK.

Dis Colon Rectum 2017 Dec;60(12):1285-1290

1 Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 3 OpenBiome, Medford, Massachusetts 4 Department of Public Health Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Background: A Clostridium difficile-associated risk of death score was recently developed and validated by using a national cohort of both nonsurgical and surgical patients admitted with C difficile infection. However, risk scores specifically derived from surgical cohorts and designed for patients with C difficile infection are currently unavailable.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a risk of death score for patients with C difficile infection who are being considered for total abdominal colectomy because of the failure of medical therapy. Read More

Surg Pathol Clin 2017 Dec;10(4):863-885

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine New York, Starr 1031 B, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA. Electronic address:

This review describes a systematic approach to the interpretation of colonic biopsy specimens of patients with acute colitis. Five main histologic patterns are discussed: acute colitis, focal active colitis, pseudomembranous colitis, hemorrhagic colitis, and ischemic colitis. For each pattern, the most common etiologic associations and their differential diagnoses are presented. Read More

Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2018 06;43(12):861-868

Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.

Study Design: A retrospective study of prospectively collected data.

Objective: The aim of this study was to utilize a large national database with post-hospitalization follow-up data [National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP)] to determine the incidence, risk factors, timing, and clinical impact of Clostridium difficile colitis in spine surgery patients.

Summary Of Background Data: Recent literature has suggested an increased incidence of C. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2017 Sep 26;2017. Epub 2017 Sep 26.

Department of Interventional Radiology, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.

A 35-year-old nulliparous woman underwent uterine artery embolisation (UAE) for heavy menstrual bleeding and anaemia due to fibroids, refractive to medical and surgical treatment.Bilateral UAE was performed after cephazolin prophylaxis and analgesia. Postoperatively, pain and abdominal bloating were prominent. Read More

J Infect Chemother 2017 Dec 12;23(12):848-851. Epub 2017 Oct 12.

Division of Pharmacy, University Hospital, Chiba University Hospital, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba, Japan.

Because there is little absorption of orally administered vancomycin hydrochloride (VCM) through the normal intestinal microvillus membrane, the pharmacokinetics of VCM absorbed from the digestive tract are mostly unknown. Here we report a case of severe colitis and renal insufficiency in which the serum concentration of VCM reached the supratherapeutic range after oral administration. A 54-year-old man receiving outpatient chemotherapy for rectal cancer was admitted to our hospital for severe sepsis and acute renal failure. Read More

Colorectal Dis 2017 Oct;19(10):881-887

Department of Colorectal Surgery, Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, UK.

Aim: The incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has been reported to be as high as 4% following ileostomy reversal. CDI can be associated with significant morbidity. A systematic review on this subject has not been previously reported; our aim was to review the literature to establish incidence and to evaluate the factors that may contribute to an increased risk of CDI following ileostomy reversal. Read More

J Arthroplasty 2018 01 12;33(1):205-210.e1. Epub 2017 Aug 12.

Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Background: An improved understanding of Clostridium difficile is important as it is used as a measure of hospital quality and is associated with substantial morbidity. This study utilizes the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to determine the incidence, timing, risk factors, and clinical implications of C difficile colitis in patients undergoing primary total hip or knee arthroplasty (THA or TKA).

Methods: Patients who underwent primary THA or TKA as part of the 2015 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program were identified. Read More

Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2017 Nov;29(11):e36-e45

Departments of aHepatology and Gastroenterology bClinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.

Background: Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is currently being established as a second-line treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. FMT is further being considered for other infectious and inflammatory conditions. Safe and reproducible methods for donor screening, laboratory processing and clinical application of FMT are warranted. Read More

PLoS One 2017 21;12(8):e0182585. Epub 2017 Aug 21.

Departments of Genetics, and Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.

Immunocompromised individuals are at high risk of developing Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD). Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a highly effective therapy for refractory or recurrent CDAD and, despite safety concerns, has recently been offered to immunocompromised patients. We investigated the genomics of bacterial composition following FMT in immunocompromised patients over a 1-year period. Read More

Am Surg 2017 Aug;83(8):e335-338

Ann Pathol 2017 Aug 25;37(4):283-287. Epub 2017 Jul 25.

Département de pathologie, hôpital Beaujon, AP-HP, 100, boulevard du Général-Leclerc, 92110 Clichy, France. Electronic address:

Curr Gastroenterol Rep 2017 Aug;19(8):34

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Purpose Of The Review: Review tests available for detection of Clostridium difficile (C. Diff) induced disease, including when such tests should be done in children and how they should be interpreted.

Recent Findings: Multiple tests are available for detecting disease due to C. Read More

Surg Infect (Larchmt) 2017 Aug/Sep;18(6):689-693. Epub 2017 Jun 26.

1 Department of Surgery, University of Virginia Health System , Charlottesville, Virginia.

Background: Diarrhea is a common condition after solid organ transplant (SOT); Clostridium difficile-associated colitis (CDAC) is one of the most common infections after SOT. We documented previously that some types of enteritis are associated with an elevation of tacrolimus (TAC) trough concentrations by interfering with the drug's complex metabolism.

Patients And Methods: Tacrolimus concentrations of 25 SOT recipients including 12 renal and 13 liver recipients before, during, and after CDAC were analyzed retrospectively. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2017 Jun 18;2017. Epub 2017 Jun 18.

Department of Anaesthetics, Cheltenham General Hospital, Cheltenham, UK.

A 75-year-old man was admitted with abdominal pain and fresh rectal bleeding. Significantly, he had no risk factors for infection. An abdominal CT demonstrated colonic thickening, and flexible sigmoidoscopy identified pseudomembranous colitis-like lesions. Read More

Gastrointest Endosc 2018 01 3;87(1):18-29. Epub 2017 Jun 3.

Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Miriam Hospital, and Lifespan Hospital System, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Surg Infect (Larchmt) 2017 Jul 30;18(5):563-569. Epub 2017 May 30.

1 Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery & Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts.

Background: Fulminant Clostridium difficile colitis (fCDC) occurs in 2%-8% of patients with CDC and carries a high death rate. Prompt operation may reduce death. Our aim was to determine whether a standardized hospital-wide protocol for surgical referral in CDC would result in earlier surgical consultation, earlier identification of patients who could benefit from surgical therapy, and reduced deaths from fCDC. Read More

World J Gastroenterol 2017 Apr;23(16):3003-3010

Wolfgang Kreisel, Bertram Bengsch, Anna-Maria Globig, Department of Medicine II, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology and Infectious Diseases, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.

Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) is characterized by loss of serum proteins into the gastrointestinal tract. It may lead to hypoproteinemia and clinically present as protein deficiency edema, ascites, pleural or pericardial effusion and/or malnutrition. In most cases the site of protein loss is the small intestine. Read More

Korean J Gastroenterol 2017 Apr;69(4):226-231

Divisions of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.

Background/aims: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a highly effective therapy for refractory and recurrent infection (CDI). Despite its excellent efficacy and recent widespread use, FMT has not been widely used in South Korea thus far. We describe our experience with FMT to treat refractory/recurrent CDI. Read More

J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2017 07;83(1):36-40

From the Virginia Commonwealth University (P.F., V.P.), Richmond, Virginia; University of California San Francisco (R.C.), San Francisco, California; Mayo Clinic Rochester (M.D.Z., A.J.C.), Rochester, New York; University of Maryland School of Medicine (B.B., A.P.), Baltimore, Maryland; Massachusetts General Hospital (D.D.Y.), Boston, Massachusetts; University of Miami Miller School of Medicine (T.L.Z., J.P.M.), Miami, Florida; George Washington University (B.S.), Washington, DC; Loma Linda University and Medical Center (R.D.C.), San Bernardino, California; Albert Einstein College of Medicine (P.K.), New York, New York; The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (L.A.D., E.R.H.), Baltimore, Maryland.

Objectives: The mortality of patients with Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) requiring surgery continues to be very high. Loop ileostomy (LI) was introduced as an alternative procedure to total colectomy (TC) for CDAD by a single-center study. To date, no reproducible results have been published. Read More

Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2017 05;2(5):384

Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia; Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia; Centros Especializados de San Vicente Fundación, Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017 06 11;38(6):718-720. Epub 2017 Apr 11.

3Division of Infectious Diseases,Department of Medicine,University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health,Madison,Wisconsin.

The prevalence of colonization with toxigenic Clostridium difficile among patients with hematological malignancies and/or bone marrow transplant at admission to a 566-bed academic medical care center was 9.3%, and 13.3% of colonized patients developed symptomatic disease during hospitalization. Read More

Gut Microbes 2017 05 10;8(3):199-204. Epub 2017 Apr 10.

a Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Center for Immunology and the BioTechnology Institute , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN , USA.

Rev Gastroenterol Mex 2017 Oct - Dec;82(4):301-308. Epub 2017 Mar 29.

Servicio de Infectología, Hospital Civil de Guadalajara Fray Antonio Alcalde, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México; Instituto de Patología Infecciosa y Experimental, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México.

Introduction And Aims: Clostridium difficile infection is the main cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea, and the clinical and endoscopic findings in those patients have been studied very little in Mexico. The aim of the present study was to describe those findings.

Materials And Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted that included patients with hospital-acquired diarrhea associated with Clostridium difficile diagnosed through polymerase chain reaction. Read More

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017 06 23;38(6):651-657. Epub 2017 Mar 23.

3Winship Cancer Institute,Emory University,Atlanta,Georgia.

OBJECTIVE Large-scale studies evaluating risk factors for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), a leading cause of infectious diarrhea among patients undergoing stem cell transplantation (SCT), are lacking. We have evaluated risk factors for CDI among both autologous SCT (auto-SCT), and allogeneic SCT (allo-SCT) recipients using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database provided by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). METHODS We used patient data obtained from the NIS database for all adult patients admitted for auto- and allo-SCTs from January 2001 to December 2010. Read More

Am J Ther 2017 Sep/Oct;24(5):e616

1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH 2University of Toledo.

Inflamm Bowel Dis 2017 04;23(4):661-671

*Department of Hospital Medicine, Medicine Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio; †Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio; and ‡Center for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio.

Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in patients with the ileal pouch after proctocolectomy has been increasingly recognized. We sought to evaluate the frequency and risk factors of CDI in patients with the primary or secondary discharge diagnosis of pouchitis in the United States.

Methods: We reviewed the National Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project and identified patients admitted for pouchitis with underlying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), between 2010 and 2012. Read More

Am J Surg Pathol 2017 May;41(5):643-654

*Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston †Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MA ‡Department of Anatomic Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL.

Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blocking agents are novel immunotherapeutics used for treatment of advanced-stage malignancies. They have shown promise in the treatment of several malignancies, with greater efficacy and better tolerability than cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) blocking agents. However, as with anti-CTLA-4 agents, clinically significant colitis remains an important complication. Read More

Curr Gastroenterol Rep 2017 Mar;19(3):10

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Stanford Children's Health, Palo Alto, CA, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Tremendous acceleration has been made in understanding the gut microbiota in the past decade and, with it, further understanding of the pathologic role of dysbiosis and the use of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as therapy. FMT has been studied in many disease states including the most common indication of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), though many questions regarding stool donor selection remain.

Recent Findings: Though traditionally, one donor has provided stool for one patient, research is underway to explore many donor selection considerations from the use of pooled donor stool to selection of a high diversity donor. Read More

J Physiol Pharmacol 2016 Dec;67(6):859-866

Department of Medicine I, University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea and represents an important burden for healthcare worldwide. Symptoms of severe CDI include watery, foul-smelling diarrhea, peripheral leucocytosis, increased C-reactive protein (CRP), acute renal failure, hypotension and pseudomembranous colitis. Recent studies indicate that the main cause of CDI is dysbiosis, an imbalance in the normal gut microbiota. Read More

J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2017 Mar;25(3):214-223

From the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI.

Clostridium difficile infection is a growing concern in health care and is a worrisome complication in orthopaedics. The incidence and severity of this infection are increasing, although the incidence following orthopaedic surgery is comparatively lower than that seen in patients in most other surgical specialties. The typical geriatric orthopaedic patient may have many risk factors that increase the likelihood of C difficile infection, including advanced age, residence in a long-term care facility, multiple comorbidities, the use of perioperative antibiotics, and a long length of stay. Read More

Am J Surg 2017 Mar 3;213(3):565-571. Epub 2017 Jan 3.

Kendrick Colon and Rectal Center, 5255 E. Stop 11 Ave., Suite 250, Indianapolis, IN, 46237, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Clostridium difficile colitis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the surgical patient. In recent years, Clostridium difficile infections have shown marked increases in frequency, severity, and resistance to standard treatment. With urgent operative interventions and novel endoscopic approaches, pseudomembranous colitis is being seen more commonly in surgical practices. Read More

Gut 2017 04 13;66(4):569-580. Epub 2017 Jan 13.

Department of Gastroenterological Area, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.

Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an important therapeutic option for infection. Promising findings suggest that FMT may play a role also in the management of other disorders associated with the alteration of gut microbiota. Although the health community is assessing FMT with renewed interest and patients are becoming more aware, there are technical and logistical issues in establishing such a non-standardised treatment into the clinical practice with safety and proper governance. Read More

Inflamm Bowel Dis 2017 02;23(2):200-207

*Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; †College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; ‡School of Agricultural, Computational, and Environmental Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia; and §Division of Gastroenterology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common complication of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) and is associated with worse outcome. Variable rates of colectomy have been reported among IBD complicated by CDI. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies to assess the association between CDI and colectomy among patients with IBD. Read More