title: Fidaxomicin versus vancomycin for Clostridium difficile infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clostridium difficile infection is a serious diarrheal illness associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Patients generally have a response to oral vancomycin or metronidazole; however, the rate of recurrence is high. This phase 3 clinical trial compared the efficacy and safety of fidaxomicin with those of vancomycin in treating C. difficile infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults with acute symptoms of C. difficile infection and a positive result on a stool toxin test were eligible for study entry. We randomly assigned patients to receive fidaxomicin (200 mg twice daily) or vancomycin (125 mg four times daily) orally for 10 days. The primary end point was clinical cure (resolution of symptoms and no need for further therapy for C. difficile infection as of the second day after the end of the course of therapy). The secondary end points were recurrence of C. difficile infection (diarrhea and a positive result on a stool toxin test within 4 weeks after treatment) and global cure (i.e., cure with no recurrence).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 629 patients were enrolled, of whom 548 (87.1%) could be evaluated for the per-protocol analysis. The rates of clinical cure with fidaxomicin were noninferior to those with vancomycin in both the modified intention-to-treat analysis (88.2% with fidaxomicin and 85.8% with vancomycin) and the per-protocol analysis (92.1% and 89.8%, respectively). Significantly fewer patients in the fidaxomicin group than in the vancomycin group had a recurrence of the infection, in both the modified intention-to-treat analysis (15.4% vs. 25.3%, P=0.005) and the per-protocol analysis (13.3% vs. 24.0%, P=0.004). The lower rate of recurrence was seen in patients with non–North American Pulsed Field type 1 strains. The adverse-event profile was similar for the two therapies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rates of clinical cure after treatment with fidaxomicin were noninferior to those after treatment with vancomycin. Fidaxomicin was associated with a significantly lower rate of recurrence of C. difficile infection associated with non–North American Pulsed Field type 1 strains. (Funded by Optimer Pharmaceuticals; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00314951.)
authors.affiliation: University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. thomas.louie@albertahealthservices.ca
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Louie
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Mullane
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lentnek
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Golan
authors.forename: Sherwood
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gorbach
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sears
authors.forename: Youe-Kong
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Shue
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000617:Aminoglycosides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000188:drug therapy; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D000077732:Fidaxomicin; D006801:Humans; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000617:Aminoglycosides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin; D000077732:Fidaxomicin