title: The search for a better treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile disease: use of high-dose vancomycin combined with Saccharomyces boulardii.
abstract: Recurrent Clostridium difficile disease (CDD) is a difficult clinical problem because antibiotic therapy often does not prevent further recurrences. In a previous study, the biotherapeutic agent Saccharomyces boulardii was used in combination with standard antibiotics and was found to be effective in reducing subsequent recurrences of CDD. In an effort to further refine a standard regimen, we tested patients receiving a regimen of a standard antibiotic for 10 days and then added either S. boulardii (1 g/day for 28 days) or placebo. A significant decrease in recurrences was observed only in patients treated with high-dose vancomycin (2 g/day) and S. boulardii (16.7%), compared with those who received high-dose vancomycin and placebo (50%; P=.05). No serious adverse reactions were observed in these patients. Comparison of data from this trial with data from previous studies indicates that recurrent CDD may respond to a short course of high-dose vancomycin or to longer courses of low-dose vancomycin when either is combined with S. boulardii.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Washoington, Seattle, WA USA. surawicz@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Surawicz
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: McFarland
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fekety
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mulligan
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brandmarker
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Borjal
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Elmer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012440:Saccharomyces; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin