Cost-Effectiveness of Competing Treatment Strategies for Clostridium difficile Infection: A Systematic Review

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of REBYOTA™ (Fecal Microbiota, Live-jslm [FMBL]) Versus Standard of Care for the Prevention of Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection in the USA

INTRODUCTION

Recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) is common and associated with considerable clinical and economic consequences. REBYOTA™ (fecal microbiota, live-jslm [FMBL]) is a microbiota-based live biotherapeutic approved for the prevention of rCDI following antibiotic treatment for rCDI. We sought to evaluate cost-effectiveness of FMBL compared to standard of care (SOC) from a US third-party payer perspective among patients with one or more (≥ 1) recurrences.

METHODS

A Markov model with a lifetime time horizon was developed. The model population included adult patients who had ≥ 1 recurrence after a primary CDI episode and had completed ≥ 1 round of antibiotics, or had ≥ 2 severe CDI episodes resulting in hospitalization within the last year. The model consisted of six health states with an 8-week model cycle: rCDI, absence of CDI after recurrence, colectomy, ileostomy, ileostomy reversal, and death. Drug costs and rCDI-related medical costs were estimated in 2022 US dollars and discounted at 3% annually. Deterministic sensitivity analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Compared to SOC, FMBL at $9000/course resulted in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $18,727 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. The incremental cost was $5336 (FMBL $79,236, SOC $73,900) and the incremental effectiveness was 0.285 QALYs (FMBL 10.346, SOC 10.061). The cumulative drug acquisition and administration costs for the FMBL and SOC arms were $24,245 and $16,876, while rCDI-related medical costs for FMBL and SOC were $54,991 and $57,024, respectively. The ICER in the subgroup of patients at first recurrence was $13,727 per QALY gained. FMBL remained cost-effective across all sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

FMBL was found to be cost-effective compared to SOC for the prevention of rCDI with more benefits among patients at first recurrence, with an ICER far below the payer ICER threshold of $100,000. Patients treated with FMBL experienced higher total QALYs and reduced healthcare resource utilization, including reduced hospitalizations.

Adverse events of intestinal microbiota transplantation in randomized controlled trials: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Intestinal microbiota transplantation (IMT) has been recognized as an effective treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (rCDI) and a novel treatment option for other diseases. However, the safety of IMT in patients has not been established.

Aims

This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the safety of IMT.

Methods

We systematically reviewed all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of IMT studies published up to 28 February 2021 using databases including PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. Studies were excluded if they did not report adverse events (AEs). Two authors independently extracted the data. The relative risk (RR) of serious adverse events (SAEs) and common adverse events (CAEs) were estimated separately, as were predefined subgroups. Publication bias was evaluated by a funnel plot and Egger’s regression test.

Results

Among 978 reports, 99 full‐text articles were screened, and 20 articles were included for meta-analysis, involving 1132 patients (603 in the IMT group and 529 in the control group). We found no significant difference in the incidence of SAEs between the IMT group and the control group (RR = 1.36, 95% CI 0.56–3.31, P = 0.50). Of these 20 studies, 7 described the number of patients with CAEs, involving 360 patients (195 in the IMT group and 166 in the control group). An analysis of the eight studies revealed that the incidence of CAEs was also not significantly increased in the IMT group compared with the control group (RR = 1.06, 95% CI  0.91–1.23, P = 0.43). Subgroup analysis showed that the incidence of CAEs was significantly different between subgroups of delivery methods (P_(CAE) = 0.04), and the incidence of IMT-related SAEs and CAEs was not significantly different in the other predefined subgroups.

Conclusion

Currently, IMT is widely used in many diseases, but its associated AEs should not be ignored. To improve the safety of IMT, patients' conditions should be fully evaluated before IMT, appropriate transplantation methods should be selected, each operative step of faecal bacteria transplantation should be strictly controlled, AE management mechanisms should be improved, and a close follow-up system should be established.

Navigating the 2021 update to the IDSA/SHEA Clostridioides difficile guidelines: An ethical approach to equitable patient care

The 2021 focused update to the Infections Diseases Society of America/Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (IDSA/SHEA) guidelines for management of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) prioritizes the use of fidaxomicin over vancomycin for the treatment of initial and recurrent CDI. These recommendations have significant clinical and financial ramifications for hospitals and patients with CDI. Antimicrobial stewardship programs must balance the needs, goals, and barriers faced by patients and health systems when determining the best treatment strategy for CDI. In this commentary, we provide antimicrobial stewardship programs with a decision-making framework that acknowledges the fundamental principles of ethics to provide equitable patient care.

Health-related quality of life in patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections

BACKGROUND

The health-related quality of life (HrQoL) can be substantially affected in patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) but the impact of effective treatment of the infection remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the HrQoL in patients with rCDI and estimate the gain in HrQoL associated with effective treatment of rCDI.

METHODS

Patients' HrQoL was estimated based on EuroQol 5-Dimensions 3-Levels (EQ-5D-3L) questionnaires obtained from a Danish randomised controlled trial (RCT). In the RCT, 64 patients with rCDI were randomised to receive either vancomycin (n = 16), fidaxomicin (n = 24) or faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) preceded by vancomycin (n = 24). The primary outcome in the RCT was rCDI resolution. Patients were closely monitored during the RCT, and rescue FMT was offered to those who failed their primary treatment. Patients' HrQoL was measured at baseline and at 8- and 26-weeks follow-up. Linear regression analyses conditional on the differences between baseline and follow-up measurements were used to assess statistical significance (p < 0.05).

RESULTS

Within 26 weeks of follow-up, 13 (81%) patients treated with vancomycin, 12 (50%) patients treated with fidaxomicin, and 3 (13%) patients treated with FMT had a subsequent recurrence and received a rescue FMT. The average HrQoL for untreated patients with rCDI was 0.675. After receiving effective treatment, this value increased by 0.139 to 0.813 (p < 0.001) at week 8 and by 0.098 to 0.773 (p = 0.003) at week 26 of follow-up compared with baseline.

CONCLUSION

The HrQoL was adversely affected in patients with an active episode of rCDI but increased substantially after receiving an effective treatment algorithm in which rescue FMT was provided in case of a primary treatment failure.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The RCT was preregistered at EudraCT (j.no. 2015-003004-24, https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2015-003004-24/results) and at ClinicalTrials.gov (study identifier NCT02743234, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02743234).

The Risk of Clostridioides difficile Recurrence after Initial Treatment with Vancomycin or Fidaxomicin Utilizing Cerner Health Facts

(1) Background: Fidaxomicin has been shown to significantly reduce Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) recurrences rates in randomized, controlled trials. However, national data from the Veterans Affairs has called the real-world applicability of these findings into question. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients receiving fidaxomicin or vancomycin as initial therapy for an index case of CDI in the hospital to evaluate the relative rates CDI recurrence within 90 days of an index case. (2) Methods: We retrieved patients 18 years and older who were admitted between July 2011 through June 2018 and diagnosed and treated for CDI with vancomycin or fidaxomicin. The first occurrence of CDI with treatment was designated as the index case. Patients with CDI within 1 year prior to index case were excluded. From the remaining index cases (vancomycin = 14,785; fidaxomicin = 889) the primary outcome (a recurrence of CDI within 90 days of the index case) was determined. The CDI recurrence rates for fidaxomicin and vancomyicn were evaluated using a Cox Proportional Hazards model on a propensity score matched cohort. (3) Results: A statistically significantly lower risk of CDI recurrence was observed with fidaxomicin use in the matched cohort (889 patients per treatment) using a Cox Proportional Hazards model (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.50–0.90). (4) Conclusions: Fidaxomicin was independently associated with a decreased CDI recurrence, as defined by readmission for CDI within 90 days.

Pediatric Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Recurrent Clostridioides Difficile

With the rising rates of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) in children, recognizing the limitations of CDI-directed antibiotic therapy, especially in recurrent CDI (rCDI), is important. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), which directly targets the underlying gut dysbiosis present in rCDI, is an important treatment option to consider in rCDI. This article will summarize indications, procedures, effectiveness, and the safety of FMT for rCDI in pediatric patients. [Pediatr Ann. 2021;50(12):e515-e521.].

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) with Colonoscopy Is Superior to Enema and Nasogastric Tube While Comparable to Capsule for the Treatment of Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Several routes of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) administration are available for treating recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI), the most recent of which are capsules.

AIM

To assess the efficacy of colonoscopy, capsule, enema, and nasogastric tube (NGT) FMT for the treatment of recurrent CDI.

METHODS

We reported clinical outcomes of colonoscopy, capsule, enema, and NGT FMT for the treatment of recurrent CDI according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. During January 2000 to January 2018, three databases were searched: PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL. Primary outcome was overall cure rate which was assessed using a random effects model; secondary outcomes included adverse effects as well as subgroup analyses comparing donor relationship, sample preparation, and study design.

RESULTS

Twenty-six studies (1309 patients) were included in the study. FMT was administered using colonoscopy in 16 studies (483 patients), NGT in five studies (149 patients), enema in four studies (360 patients), and capsules in four studies (301 patients). The random effects of pooled FMT cure rates were colonoscopy 94.8% (CI 92.4-96.8%; I² 15.6%), capsule 92.1% (CI 88.6-95.0%; I² 7.1%), enema 87.2% (CI 83.4-90.5%; I² 0%), and NGT/NDT 78.1% (CI 71.6-84.1%; I² 0%). On subgroup analysis of colonoscopy FMT, sample preparation methods had comparable cure rates: fresh 94.9% compared to 94.5%. Similarly, cure rates were unaffected by donor relationship: mixed 94.5% compared to unrelated donor 95.7%.

CONCLUSION

CDI cure rates with FMT performed with colonoscopy are superior to enema and NGT FMT, while those with FMT with colonoscopy and capsule are comparable.

Health economic evaluations comparing faecal microbiota transplantation with antibiotics for treatment of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is increasingly being used in the treatment of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). Health economic evaluations may support decision-making regarding the implementation of FMT in clinical practice. Previous reviews have highlighted several methodological concerns in published health economic evaluations examining FMT. However, the impact of these concerns on the conclusions of the studies remains unclear.

AIMS

To present an overview and assess the methodological quality of health economic evaluations that compare FMT with antibiotics for treatment of rCDI. Furthermore, we aimed to evaluate the degree to which any methodological concerns would affect conclusions about the cost-effectiveness of FMT.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature review based on a search in seven medical databases up to 16 July 2020. We included research articles reporting on full health economic evaluations comparing FMT with antibiotic treatment for rCDI. General study characteristics and input estimates for costs, effectiveness and utilities were extracted from the articles. The quality of the studies was assessed by two authors using the Drummonds ten-point checklist.

RESULTS

We identified seven cost-utility analyses. All studies applied decision-analytic modelling and compared various FMT delivery methods with vancomycin, fidaxomicin, metronidazole or a combination of vancomycin and bezlotoxumab. The time horizons used in the analyses varied from 78 days to lifelong, and the perspectives differed between a societal, a healthcare system or a third-party payer perspective. The applied willingness-to-pay threshold ranged from 20,000 to 68,000 Great Britain pound sterling (GBP) per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). FMT was considered the most cost-effective alternative in all studies. In five of the health economic evaluations, FMT was both more effective and cost saving than antibiotic treatment alternatives. The quality of the articles varied, and we identified several methodological concerns.

CONCLUSIONS

Economic evaluations consistently reported that FMT is a cost-effective and potentially cost-saving treatment for rCDI. Based on a comparison with recent evidence within the area, the multiple methodological concerns seem not to change this conclusion. Therefore, implementing FMT for rCDI in clinical practice should be strongly considered.

Navigating changes in Clostridioides difficile prevention and treatment

Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile, previously known as Clostridium difficile) infections are a major health care concern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that C. difficile causes almost half a million illnesses in the United States yearly, and approximately 1 in 5 patients with a C. difficile infection (CDI) will experience 1 or more recurrent infections. The incidence of infection has risen dramatically in recent years, and infection severity has increased due to the emergence of hypervirulent strains. There have been noteworthy advances in the development of CDI prevention and treatment, including a growth in the understanding of the role a patient's gut microbiome plays. The 2017 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines made a significant change in treatment recommendations for first time CDI episodes by recommending the use of oral vancomycin or fidaxomicin in place of metronidazole as a first-line treatment. The guidelines also included detailed recommendations on the use of fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) in those patients who experience 3 or more recurrent CDI episodes. A number of novel therapies for the treatment of CDI are in various stages of development. Treatments currently in phase 3 trials include the antibiotic ridinilazole, the microbiome products SER-109 and RBX2660, and a vaccine. All of these agents have shown promise in phase 1 and 2 trials. Additionally, several other antibiotic and microbiome candidates are currently in phase 1 or phase 2 trials. A qualitative review and evaluation of the literature on the cost-effectiveness of treatments for CDI in the U.S. setting was conducted, and the summary provided herein. Due to the higher cost of newer agents, cost-effectiveness evaluations will continue to be critical in clinical decision making for CDI. This paper reviews the updated CDI guidelines for prevention and treatment, the role of the microbiome in new and recurrent infections, pipeline medications, and comparative effectiveness research (CER) data on these treatments. DISCLOSURES: Durham and Le have nothing to disclose. Cassano reports consulting fees from Baxter Healthcare. Peer reviewers Drs. Ami Gopalan and Mark Rubin and Ms. Kathleen Jarvis have nothing to disclose. Planners Dr. Christine L. Cooper and Ms. Susan Yarbrough have nothing to disclose.

Recent advances in the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection: the ever-changing guidelines

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), formerly known as Clostridium difficile, continues to be the most common healthcare-associated infection worldwide. With the shifting epidemiology towards higher a incidence of community-acquired CDI and the continued burden on the healthcare system posed by high rates of CDI recurrence, there has been an impetus to advance the diagnostic testing and treatment strategies. Recent advancements over the past decade have led to rapidly changing guidelines issued by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. With our comprehensive review, we aim to summarize the latest advances in diagnosing and treating CDI and thus attempt to help readers guide best practices for patient care. This article also focusses on cost-effectiveness of various therapies currently available on the market and provides an analysis of the current evidence on a relatively new monoclonal antibody therapy, Bezlotoxumab, to treat recurrent CDI.

Clinical outcomes after faecal microbiota transplant by retention enema in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections at an academic medical centre

BACKGROUND

Recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the most common and challenging infections to treat in healthcare facilities. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is recommended as a definitive treatment option.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of 50 patients from January 2015 to December 2019 who underwent FMT for recurrent CDI. Primary outcome was recurrence of CDI within 12-weeks of FMT and secondary outcomes were the need for repeat FMT, serious adverse outcomes related to FMT and all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

Fifty charts were reviewed, of which 47 cases comprising 17 immunocompromised patients treated with FMT via retention enema were included in the study. The majority of the patients had ≥3 recurrent CDIs (62%). Nine (19%) patients failed to respond to the first FMT and five underwent repeat FMT within four to 12 weeks. The cure rate was 81% after the first FMT (38/47) and 91% after the second FMT treatment (43/47). Serious adverse events occurred in 2% and all-cause mortality was 2% at 90-day follow up.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated the safety and efficacy of FMT administered via retention enema, a simple bedside procedure, for the treatment and prevention of recurrent non-severe and severe CDI with an overall cure rate of 91%.

Fecal Transplants by Colonoscopy and Capsules Are Cost-Effective Strategies for Treating Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection

BACKGROUND

Recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) occur frequently and pose a substantial economic burden on the US healthcare system. The landscape for the treatment of CDI is evolving.

AIM

To elucidate the most cost-effective strategy for managing recurrent CDI.

METHODS

A decision tree analysis was created from a modified third-party payer's perspective to compare the cost-effectiveness of five strategies for patients experiencing their first CDI recurrence: oral vancomycin, fidaxomicin, fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) via colonoscopy, FMT via oral capsules, and a one-time infusion of bezlotoxumab with vancomycin. Effectiveness measures were quality-adjusted life years (QALY). A willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $100,000 per QALY was set. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Base-case analysis showed that FMT via colonoscopy was associated with the lowest cost at $5250 and that FMT via capsules was also a cost-effective strategy with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $31205/QALY. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that FMT delivered by oral capsules and colonoscopy was comparable cost-effective modalities. At its current cost and effectiveness, bezlotoxumab was not a cost-effective strategy.

CONCLUSIONS

FMT via oral capsules and colonoscopy is both cost-effective strategies to treat the first recurrence of CDI. Further real-world economic studies are needed to understand the cost-effectiveness of all available strategies.

Cost-effectiveness of Treatment Regimens for Clostridioides difficile Infection: An Evaluation of the 2018 Infectious Diseases Society of America Guidelines

BACKGROUND

In 2018, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) published guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI). However, there is little guidance regarding which treatments are cost-effective.

METHODS

We used a Markov model to simulate a cohort of patients presenting with an initial CDI diagnosis. We used the model to estimate the costs, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of different CDI treatment regimens recommended in the recently published 2018 IDSA guidelines. The model includes stratification by the severity of the initial infection, and subsequent likelihood of cure, recurrence, mortality, and outcomes of subsequent recurrences. Data sources were taken from IDSA guidelines and published literature on treatment outcomes. Outcome measures were discounted quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs).

RESULTS

Use of fidaxomicin for nonsevere initial CDI, vancomycin for severe CDI, fidaxomicin for first recurrence, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for subsequent recurrence (strategy 44) cost an additional $478 for 0.009 QALYs gained per CDI patient, resulting in an ICER of $31 751 per QALY, below the willingness-to-pay threshold of $100 000/QALY. This is the optimal, cost-effective CDI treatment strategy.

CONCLUSIONS

Metronidazole is suboptimal for nonsevere CDI as it is less beneficial than alternative strategies. The preferred treatment regimen is fidaxomicin for nonsevere CDI, vancomycin for severe CDI, fidaxomicin for first recurrence, and FMT for subsequent recurrence. The most effective treatments, with highest cure rates, are also cost-effective due to averted mortality, utility loss, and costs of rehospitalization and/or further treatments for recurrent CDI.

A systematic review of economic evaluation in fecal microbiota transplantation

Background:

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an effective therapy in recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (rCDI). It is only recommended for this indication by European and American guidelines. Other indications of FMT are being studied, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and they have shown promising results.

Objectives:

To identify and review published FMT-related economic evaluations (EEs) to assess their quality and the economic impact of FMT in the treatment of these diseases.

Data sources:

The systematic literature research was conducted in both PubMed and Cochrane to identify EEs published before July 1, 2019.

Study eligibility criteria:

Articles were included if they concerned FMT (whatever the disease and its line of treatment), if they reported full or partial EEs, and if they were written in English. Articles were excluded if they did not concern FMT; if they did not report an EE; or if they were a systematic review, editorial, comment, letter to the editor, practice point, or poster.

Methods:

A measurement tool, AMSTAR, was used to optimize the quality of this systematic review. Based on the CHEERS checklist, data were identified and extracted from articles. The quality of each EE was assessed using the Drummond checklist.

Results:

Overall, 9 EEs were included: all EEs were full evaluations and 8 were cost-utility analyses (CUAs). All EEs had a Drummond score ≥ 7, which indicated high quality. All CUAs related to rCDI and IBD concluded that FMT was cost-effective compared with other reference treatments, at a threshold ≤$50,000/QALY. One EE about initial CDI showed that FMT was dominated by metronidazole.

Conclusions:

Despite a limited number of EEs, FMT seems to be a promising and cost-effective treatment for rCDI. More EE studies on other diseases like IBD are necessary to address FMT efficiency for new indications. Therefore, our systematic review provides a framework for healthcare decision making.

International consensus conference on stool banking for faecal microbiota transplantation in clinical practice

Although faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has a well-established role in the treatment of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), its widespread dissemination is limited by several obstacles, including lack of dedicated centres, difficulties with donor recruitment and complexities related to regulation and safety monitoring. Given the considerable burden of CDI on global healthcare systems, FMT should be widely available to most centres.Stool banks may guarantee reliable, timely and equitable access to FMT for patients and a traceable workflow that ensures safety and quality of procedures. In this consensus project, FMT experts from Europe, North America and Australia gathered and released statements on the following issues related to the stool banking: general principles, objectives and organisation of the stool bank; selection and screening of donors; collection, preparation and storage of faeces; services and clients; registries, monitoring of outcomes and ethical issues; and the evolving role of FMT in clinical practice,Consensus on each statement was achieved through a Delphi process and then in a plenary face-to-face meeting. For each key issue, the best available evidence was assessed, with the aim of providing guidance for the development of stool banks in order to promote accessibility to FMT in clinical practice.

Direct cost of health care for individuals with community associated Clostridium difficile infections: A population-based cohort study

Background

Even though the incidence of community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is reported to be increasing, few studies have reported on the healthcare costs of community-acquired CDI. We estimated cost of care for individuals with community-associated CDI and compared with that for matched controls without CDI in the time period of six months before to one year after CDI.

Methods

All individuals in the province of Manitoba, diagnosed with CDI between July 2005 and March 2015 were matched up to 4 individuals without CDI. Health care utilization and direct costs resulting from hospitalizations, physician reimbursement claims and prescriptions were determined from the population based provincial databases. Quantile regressions were performed to determine predictors of cost of individuals with community associated CDI.

Results

Of all CDIs, 30–40% in each period of the study had community-associated CDI; of which 12% were recurrent CDIs. The incremental median and 90^th percentile cost of care for individuals with community-associated CDI was $800 and $16,000 respectively in the six months after CDI diagnosis. After adjustment for age, co-morbidities, sex, socioeconomic status and magnitude of health care utilization prior to CDI, the median incremental cost for recurrent CDI was $1,812 and that for a subsequent episode of CDI was $3,139 compared to those with a single community-associated CDI episode. The median cost for a prescription of Vancomycin was $316 (IQR 209–489).

Conclusions

Health care costs of an episode of community-associated CDI have been much more than the cost of antibiotic treatment. Our study provides population-based data for formal cost effectiveness analysis for use of newer treatments for community-associated CDI.

Recent advances in the treatment of C. difficile using biotherapeutic agents

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is rapidly becoming one of the most prevalent health care–associated bacterial infections in the developed world. The emergence of new, more virulent strains has led to greater morbidity and resistance to standard therapies. The bacterium is readily transmitted between people where it can asymptomatically colonize the gut environment, and clinical manifestations ranging from frequent watery diarrhea to toxic megacolon can arise depending on the age of the individual or their state of gut dysbiosis. Several inexpensive approaches are shown to be effective against virulent C. difficile in research settings such as probiotics, fecal microbiota transfer and immunotherapies. This review aims to highlight the current advantages and limitations of the aforementioned approaches with an emphasis on recent studies.

Evolution of fecal microbiota transplantation in methodology and ethical issues

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), the core therapy for remodeling the gut microbiota with a long medical history, has gained great attention worldwide in recent years. Increasing studies have explored its indications, methodology, efficacy, safety, and ethics. Purified forms of FMT, using an automated method for the purification of fecal microbiota from stool, has become a reality. Colonic transendoscopic enteral tubing makes frequent FMT delivery into the whole colon feasible. This review focuses on the recent progress in laboratory preparation, updated clinical strategies, novel delivery methods, and ethical issues surrounding FMT in clinical studies.

Predictors and burden of hospital readmission with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection: a French nation-wide inception cohort study

To investigate the predictors and burden of hospital readmission with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) in a large European healthcare system with a low prevalence of hyper-virulent C. difficile clones. We conducted an inception cohort study based on an exhaustive health insurance database and including all survivors of a first hospital stay with CDI over a one-year period (2015) in France. Readmissions with rCDI were defined as a novel hospital stay with CDI within 12 weeks following discharge of the index hospitalization. Risk factors for readmission with rCDI were investigated through multivariate logistic regression analyses. Among the 14,739 survivors of the index hospital stay (females, 57.3%; median age, 74 [58-84] years), 2135 (14.5%) required at least one readmission with rCDI. Independent predictors of readmission were age ≥ 65 years (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.21-1.49, P < 0.0001), immunosuppression (aOR, 1.27, 95% CI, 1.15-1.41, P < 0.0001), chronic renal failure (aOR, 1.29, 95% CI, 1.14-1.46, P < 0.0001), and a previous history of CDI (aOR, 2.05, 95% CI, 1.55-2.71, P < 0.0001). The cumulative number of risk factors was independently associated with the hazard of readmission. Mean acute care costs attributable to rCDI were 5619 ± 3594 Euros for readmissions with rCDI as primary diagnosis (mean length of stay, 11.3 ± 10.2 days) and 4851 ± 445 Euros for those with rCDI as secondary diagnosis (mean length of stay, 16.8 ± 18.2 days), for an estimated annual nation-wide cost of 14,946,632 Euros. Hospital readmissions with rCDI are common after an index episode and drive major healthcare expenditures with substantial bed occupancy, strengthening the need for efficient secondary prevention strategies in high-risk patients.

Vancomycin Versus Metronidazole for Nonsevere Clostridioides difficile Infection: Are the Data Adequate to Change Practice?

Objective: To compare oral metronidazole and vancomycin for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Clostridioides difficile infection (mmCDI). Data Sources: A MEDLINE literature search (inception to November 2018) was performed using the search terms metronidazole, vancomycin, and Clostridium/Clostridioides difficile. Additional references were identified from a review of literature citations. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All English-language clinical studies (interventional and observational), meta-analyses, and cost-effectiveness analyses comparing the efficacy of metronidazole and vancomycin for mmCDI were evaluated. Data Synthesis: Nine clinical studies, 5 meta-analyses, and 1 cost-effectiveness analysis provided comparative data for metronidazole and vancomycin for the treatment of mmCDI. Improved treatment response with vancomycin as compared with metronidazole in adults with mmCDI reached statistical significance in a few studies; albeit, most studies and pooled analyses have results that numerically favor vancomycin. Furthermore, the cost per case treated appears to be lower with vancomycin compared with metronidazole based on data from hospitalized patients. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: Recent updates to national guidelines now give preference to vancomycin over metronidazole for mmCDI; however, this has been a source of controversy. This review provides an appraisal of direct and indirect comparisons of oral metronidazole and vancomycin for mmCDI, including recent literature published after the release of current guidelines. Conclusions: The available outcome data suggesting that vancomycin is more effective than metronidazole, combined with the more favorable pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability profile of vancomycin, provide adequate clinical rationale for the preferential use of this agent for the treatment of mmCDI.

Cost-Effectiveness of Herpes Zoster Vaccination: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Herpes zoster (HZ) is one of the most common diseases among adults. Its reactivation is characterized by a severe and painful complication. In addition to the existing herpes zoster vaccine (ZVL), the FDA approved a new adjuvanted subunit zoster vaccine (RZV) in 2017 for use in adults aged 50 years and older. Several studies have assessed the cost-effectiveness of ZVL, many of which were conducted before the long-term vaccine  efficacy data was available in 2014.

OBJECTIVE

Our objectives were to (i) summarize and compare the cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) of ZVL conducted before and after 2014, (ii) summarize the CEAs of RZV, and (iii) critically assess the cost-effectiveness models and identify key parameters to consider for future CEAs of RZV.

METHODS

We searched PubMed and two other databases from inception to March 2018 for original cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, or cost-benefit analyses of HZ vaccines. Three investigators independently reviewed and assessed full-text articles after screening the titles and abstracts to determine eligibility. For all included studies, we assessed study quality using the Drummond and Jefferson's checklist and extracted study characteristics, model structure, vaccine characteristics, incidence of HZ and complications, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, and sensitivity analyses. We summarized data by type of vaccine, year of publication, and funding sources.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven studies met eligibility criteria. All studies were from high-income countries and were of moderate-to-high or high quality. Twenty studies repeatedly used four cost-effectiveness models. The assumption on long-term efficacy of ZVL was not based on clinical trial data in > 50% of studies. Fifteen out of 25 studies concluded that ZVL was cost-effective compared with no vaccine at a vaccine price ranging between US$93 and US$236 per dose (2018 US$), 40% of which were published after 2014. All industry-funded studies favored the use of ZVL. The single study assessing RZV found it to be more effective and less costly than ZVL, and cost-effective compared with no vaccination. More studies conducted after 2014 included various efficacy endpoints for ZVL, adverse reactions, and productivity loss compared with those conducted before 2014.

CONCLUSIONS

A majority of studies of ZVL found it to be cost-effective compared with no vaccine using the authors' chosen willingness-to-pay thresholds. RZV was dominant in the single study comparing the two vaccines, but the finding needs to be confirmed with further studies in different settings. Future studies should assume vaccine efficacy in line with clinical data, account for more efficacy endpoints for ZVL, and include other HZ long-term complications, vaccine adverse reactions, and productivity loss.

Fidaxomicin vs Vancomycin for the Treatment of a First Episode of Clostridium Difficile Infection: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) continues to possess a significant disease burden in the United States (US) as well as all over the world. Given the increase in severity and recurrence rate, the decrease in cure rate, and the fact that the virulent ribotype 027 strain remains one of the most commonly identified strains in the US, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) published a clinical practice guideline in February 2018 moving away from metronidazole as the first-line treatment for initial CDI and recommending either oral vancomycin or fidaxomicin. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical data available comparing the efficacy of primary treatment of CDI between those two antibiotics. We performed a PubMed, PubMed Central, and ScienceDirect database search without restriction to regions, publication types, or languages. A comprehensive literature search was performed from January 1, 1980 up to March 20, 2018. We used the following keywords in different combinations: Clostridium difficile, Clostridium difficile infection, CDI, C. diff, C. difficile, fidaxomicin, vancomycin, pseudomembranous colitis, and antibiotic-associated colitis. The search was limited to human studies. Data were independently extracted by two reviewers with disagreements resolved by a third author. We pooled an odds ratio (OR) on two primary outcomes: Clinical cure rate and rate of recurrence during the follow-up period. The computer search was also supplemented with manual searches by the authors of the retrieved review articles and primary studies. The search phrase “((Clostridium difficile) AND vancomycin) AND fidaxomicin” had the highest yield results. We identified four observational studies with a total of 2,303 patients with CDI that met our inclusion criteria. Compared with vancomycin, fidaxomicin use was associated with a significantly lower recurrence of CDI with a pooled OR of 0.47 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.37 - 0.60, I2 = 0). On the other hand, there was no significant association of fidaxomicin use with CDI cure rate compared to vancomycin with a pooled OR of 1.22 (95% CI, 0.93 - 1.60, I2 = 0). In light of the recently updated clinical practice guidelines by the IDSA, our review suggests that fidaxomicin has a more sustained clinical response with a statistically significant lower recurrence rate. Although fidaxomicin appears to be the better drug with statistical significance, its cost-effectiveness continues to be an ongoing controversy. More randomized clinical trials are needed to shed light on this matter to assess if there is any clinical significance in fidaxomicin superiority.