title: Constipation in Clostridium difficile infection.
abstract: A patient presented to our hospital with worsening shortness of breath, cough and respiratory distress that slowly worsened over 7-10 days. She had a viral-like illness with runny nose and cough for 1 week, which became productive of yellowish sputum. She was treated with antibiotic and steroid with clinical improvement. Her leucocyte count continued to increase despite discontinuation of both antibiotic and steroid. All culture results returned negative. She did not have any abdominal pain or diarrhoea. Her stool was positive for Clostridium difficile toxin assayed by PCR. A CT of abdomen showed distension of cecum and proximal colon. She was treated with intravenous metronidazole, oral and rectal vancomycin and intravenous immunoglobulin. She developed multi-organ failure and died.
authors: Department of Medicine, Fairview Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors: Hameem I
authors: HI
authors: Kawsar
authors: K V
authors: KV
authors: Gopal
authors: Jamila
authors: J
authors: Shahnewaz
authors: Hamed A
authors: HA
authors: Daw
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000032:analysis; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000378:metabolism*; D003248:Constipation / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins