Outcomes associated with recent guideline recommendations removing metronidazole for treatment of non-severe Clostridioides difficile infection: a retrospective, observational, nationwide cohort study

Objectives: The 2017 Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Clinical Practice Guidelines for Clostridioides difficile ( C. difficile) infection (CDI) removed metronidazole as a preferred option for initial episodes of non-severe CDI. This study aimed to determine if the shift away from metronidazole improved clinical outcomes of initial episodes of non severe CDI. Methods: The study was a retrospective, observational, nationwide cohort study using a Veterans Health Administration national clinical administrative database. Adult patients treated for non-severe CDI before and after the February 2018 publication of the 2017 IDSA/SHEA C. difficile Clinical Practice Guidelines were included. The primary outcome was the composite of treatment failure or probable recurrence. Results: A total of 3608 patients were included, with 1809 in the pre-guideline cohort (mean [SD] age, 65.5 [14.2] years; 1602 [88.6%] male) and 1799 in the post-guideline cohort (mean [SD] age, 64 [14.6] years; 1584 [88%] male). Overall composite of treatment failure or probable recurrence was similar between both cohorts (318 of 1809 [17.6%] pre-guideline cohort vs. 317 of 1799 [17.6%] post-guideline cohort [ P = 0.97]). Conclusion: The shift away from metronidazole as a preferred option in initial non-severe Clostridioides difficile infection did not improve the composite of treatment failure or recurrence. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate if moving away from metronidazole improved clinical outcomes of initial non-severe CDI episodes, but the conclusion showed that this change did not improve the composite of treatment failure or recurrence.