MedWire News: Hospitalised patients who take stomach acid-suppressing drugs called proton pump inhibitors for reflux disease, peptic ulcers and other gastrointestinal conditions may face an increased risk of Clostridium Difficile-associated diarrhoea, researchers have found.

Dr Mohammed Aseeri, from King Abdul Aziz Medical City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and team explain: "Clostridium difficile is a... bacterium that is responsible for the most common cause of hospital-acquired diarrhoea in developed countries."

The researchers say that previous studies have shown that the most common risk factors for developing Clostridium Difficile-associated diarrhoea include the use of antibiotics, severe underlying illness, hospitalisation and immune system-suppressing treatment.

They add: "Recent literature suggests the possibility of an association between the use of proton pump inhibitors and Clostridium Difficile infection in hospitalised patients, although results appear to be conflicting."

To investigate further, the team studied data on 94 patients who developed Clostridium Difficile-associated diarrhoea at a local US hospital between 2005 and 2006.

These patients were then compared with 94 patients from the same hospital who did not develop Clostridium Difficile-associated diarrhoea during the period studied.

After accounting for factors such as the presence of diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases and the use of immune system-suppressing drugs, the researchers found that people using proton pump inhibitors were 3.6 times more likely to suffer from Clostridium Difficile-associated diarrhoea than those who were not taking these drugs.

Dr Aseeri and team write in the American Journal of Gastroenterology: "In conclusion, this hospital-based case-control study showed elevated risk of developing Clostridium Difficile-associated diarrhoea in hospitalised patients with acid suppressive therapy, especially when proton pump inhibitors were used."