Patients With Pediatric Solid Tumors, Hematological Malignancies May Have Elevated Risk for C Difficile Infections

A new study did not find a statistically significant association between varying malignant disorders and clostridium difficile infections (CDI).

The authors of the study, published in the Journal of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, were able to evaluate the association between CDI among patients with different types of malignancies, however. Although there are several conditions known to be risk factors for CDI, data on the link between malignancy and CDI are limited.

The researchers identified 496 patients with specific malignancies, including adenocarcinoma, hematological malignancies, multiple myeloma, and pediatric solid tumors, who were then compared to 526 individuals in the control group.

The investigators reviewed laboratory data on demographics, antibiotic exposure, clinical symptoms, and fecal Clostridioides difficile toxin assay for all 1022 participants, of whom 805 patients received antibiotics.

Clostridioides difficile toxin was positive for 28% (n = 7) of patients with pediatric solid tumors, 25% (n = 24) of patients with adenocarcinoma, 21.4% (n = 71) of patients with hematological malignancies, and 7% (n = 3) of patients with multiple myeloma; however, this finding was not deemed statistically significant (P >0.05).

The data did show a correlation between varying malignant conditions and different demographics.

“No significant association of [Clostridioides difficile toxin] was seen in malignant patients compared to the controls, though patients in [pediatric solid tumors] and [adenocarcinoma] subgroups were more prone to CDI,” the authors wrote.

Earlier in 2021, a new oral adsorbent showed promise in preventing antibiotic disruption of intestinal flora against CDI in patients with hematologic malignancies. DAV132 is an orally administered formulation that releases 5 gm of activated charcoal from a 7.5 gm dosage into or following passage through the ileum.

The researchers next plan to evaluate an investigational formulation of an adsorbent to protect against antibiotic disruption of intestinal microbiota and colonization of C diff in a phase 3 clinical trial among patients with hematologic malignancies who require antibiotics for severe infections while receiving intensive chemotherapy.