Purpose: Mouse model experiments have demonstrated an increased Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) severity with Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) use. We aim to evaluate the impact of NSAIDs in humans after a diagnosis of CDI on primary outcomes defined as I) all-cause mortality and II) toxic mega-colon attributable to CDI.
Patients and methods: All hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of CDI were divided into two groups; those with NSAIDs administered up to 10 days after onset of CDI versus no NSAIDs use. The primary outcomes were analyzed between the groups, while controlling for severity of CDI. A logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of worse outcomes.
Results: NSAIDs were administered in 14% (n=80) of the 568 hospitalized visits for an average of 2.5 days after the CDI diagnosis. All-cause mortality was high in patients who did not receive NSAIDs as compared to those who did receive NSAIDs (16.6% vs 12.5%, p 0.354). Patients who were prescribed NSAIDs were more likely to have toxic mega-colon as compared to those who were not prescribed NSAIDs (2.5% vs 0.6%, p 0.094). Results were not statistically significant, even after controlling for CDI severity. Logistic regression analysis did not identify NSAIDs administration as a significant factor for all-cause mortality in CDI patients.
Conclusion: This retrospective study results, contrary to mouse model, did not show association between NSAID use and CDI related mortality and toxic mega-colon. Shorter duration of NSAIDs use, younger people in study group, and timely CDI treatment may have resulted in contrasting results.
Keywords: Clostridium difficile infection; NSAIDs; colitis; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; toxic megacolon.
© 2019 Patel et al.