Interruption of recurrent Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea episodes by serial therapy with vancomycin and rifaximin.
Eight women who each experienced 4-8 episodes of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea were given a 2-week course of rifaximin therapy when they were asymptomatic, immediately after completing their last course of vancomycin therapy. Seven of the 8 patients experienced no further diarrhea recurrence. The patient who had a recurrence responded to a second course of rifaximin therapy, but rifaximin-resistant C. difficile was recovered after treatment. A controlled trial for treating recurrent Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea appears to be warranted.
Johnson
Stuart
S
Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA. sjohnson@lumc.edu
Schriever
Christopher
C
Galang
Minerva
M
Kelly
Ciarán P
CP
Gerding
Dale N
DN
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012294:Rifamycins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000078262:Rifaximin; D012307:Risk Factors; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D012294:Rifamycins; D014640:Vancomycin; D000078262:Rifaximin