Testing for Clostridium difficile infection is significantly lower than expected during diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease, according to a study in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, the official journal of Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America.
Researchers used data collected through the Ocean State Crohn's and Colitis Area Registry and identified a prospective cohort of patients with newly diagnosed IBD. CDI testing and CDI positivity were determined by reviewing the medical records of patients enrolled into the registry and diagnosed with IBD.
According to the study, of 320 enrolled patients, 227 patients or 70.9 percent reported diarrhea, and CDI testing was performed for 49.8 percent of the 227 patients. CDI testing was not recorded as being performed for the remaining 114 patients who reported having diarrhea. An additional 24 patients were tested for CDI but did not report having diarrhea. Seven of the 137 patients tested for CDI were positive.
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