An analysis of probiotic use for treatment of Clostridioides difficile infections in patients hospitalized at the University Clinical Hospital in Wroclaw, Poland, 2016–2018

Background
Clostridioides difficile infection is the most common diarrheal disease associated with antibiotic use. Treatment includes fidaxomicin, vancomycin, metronidazole, rifaximin, fecal flora transplants, and bezlotoxumab. There are numerous reports of the potential beneficial effects of using probiotics in Clostridioides difficile infection.

Objectives
This study aimed to analyze the effects of the use of probiotics on patients with Clostridioides difficile infection who were hospitalized at the University Clinical Hospital in Wroclaw from 2016 to 2018.

Material and methods
The study was conducted by analyzing the medical records of patients treated from 2016 to the end of 2018 at the University Clinical Hospital in Wroclaw. We examined the frequency of use of probiotics in Clostridioides difficile infection, differences in the use of probiotics by year of hospitalization, mortality among patients taking probiotics and not receiving this type of treatment, length of hospitalization by probiotic use, and the relationship between the gender of patients and the use of probiotics.

Results
313 patients were enrolled in the study, out of 319 patients total. Almost half of the patients (45.54%) received no probiotic during hospitalization. The most commonly administered probiotics were preparations containing Saccharomyces boulardii, which were received by 24.2% of patients. The use of probiotics did not affect mortality in Clostridioides difficile infection. Patients receiving probiotics were hospitalized longer. There was no significant statistical difference in probiotic use by patient gender.

Conclusions
Probiotic use did not reduce the risk of death or shorten the length of hospitalization of patients with Clostridioides difficile infection.