Area Editoriale
Una indagine conoscitiva su quasi 200 gastroenterologi del Nord-America rivela che la metà di essi tratterebbe in prima istanza un riacutizzazione di IBD associata con infezione da Clostridium Difficile con soli antibiotici (eventualmente in associazione con mesalazina) mentre l'altra metà associerebbe fin dall'inizio corticosteoridi e/o immunosoppressori. Solo una monoranza invece sospenderebbe la azatioprina nei pazienti già in terapia cronica con questo farmaco. Non sono disponibili dati per stabilire quale sia il comportamento più corretto, ma va ricordato che un recente studio retrospettivo aveva suggerito che la associazione di immunomodulatori ed antibiotici fosse più rischiosa rispetto al trattamento con soli antibiotici
Yanai H, Nguyen GC, Yun L, Lebwohl O, Navaneethan U, Stone CD, Ghazi L, Moayyedi P, Brooks J, Bernstein CN, Ben-Horin S. Practice of gastroenterologists in treating flaring inflammatory bowel disease patients with clostridium difficile: Antibiotics alone or combined antibiotics/immunomodulators? Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2011;17:1540-6.
BACKGROUND: The optimal management of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in flaring inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients has not been defined. Limited data suggest that coadministration of immunomodulators (IM) with antibiotics (AB) results in a worse outcome. We investigated the prevalent practice among North American gastroenterologists in this scenario. METHODS: A structured questionnaire presented the clinical cases of two hospitalized patients with ulcerative colitis and concomitant CDI, either with or without prior IM treatment. The questionnaire was distributed to a sample of gastroenterologists at medical centers across North America. Respondents were requested to denote their therapeutic choices for these patients. RESULTS: The survey included 169 gastroenterologists, 122 from the US and 47 from Canada, with an average of 12 ± 10 years of experience in gastroenterology. Forty-two (25%) of the respondents were IBD experts. Seventy-seven (46%) respondents elected to add an IM in combination with AB, whereas 82/169 (54%) treated the flare with AB alone (P = NS). The rate of administering combined AB+IM was similar for the IBD experts and the non-IBD experts. Only 11% of respondents withdrew maintenance azathioprine upon the diagnosis of CDI. More IBD experts stopped azathioprine treatment compared to the non-IBD experts (12/42 versus 6/127, P < 0.001). Overall, 65% of surveyed gastroenterologists stated they believe these patients are afflicted by two simultaneous but separate disease processes. CONCLUSIONS: There is significant disagreement among gastroenterologists on whether combination AB+IM or AB alone should be given to IBD patients with CDI-associated flares. Controlled trials are needed to investigate the optimal management approach to this clinical dilemma