Adherence to clinical practice guidelines for the management of Clostridium difficile infection in Japan: a multicenter retrospective study

This study was conducted to investigate the adherence to clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). A retrospective multicenter observational study was conducted via chart review at four teaching hospitals in Japan from April 2012 through September 2013. CDI was diagnosed based on positive identification of CD toxin by enzyme immunoassay testing. CDI patients were divided into non-severe and severe groups according to the severity criteria of four published guidelines (SHEA/IDSA 2010, ACG 2013, ESCMID 2009, HPA/DH 2008). Three parameters were assessed in association with disease severity: adherence to treatment guidelines, prognosis, and relapse rate. In total, 170 patients were diagnosed with CDI (1.04 cases per 10,000 patient-days). The 30-day all-cause mortality and recurrence rates were 13% and 14%, respectively. CPGs adherence ranged from 52% to 70% in the non-severe group and from 8.5 to 23% in the severe group (P < 0.01). Among severe CDI patients, no significant difference in mortality or recurrence was found between the patients whose treatments adhered and did not adhere to the CPGs. CPGs adherence was low, especially for patients with severe CDI. Improved guideline adherence and more accurate definitions of severity based on prognosis are needed for appropriate CDI management.