Antibiotic-associated colitis in orthopaedic patients.

Antibiotic-associated colitis was diagnosed in 23 orthopaedic patients: 17 had abdominal symptoms, 3 had a fever and the remaining 3 had no symptoms but increasing C-reactive protein values or white blood count. The antibiotic was clindamycin in 19, cephalosporins in 3 and a combination of vancomycin and fusidic acid intravenously in one. The antibiotics were stopped in 12, changed in 5 and continued in the remaining 5. Oral treatment for colitis was given in 21 patients, and in one patient the only treatment was stopping the antibiotics. One patient died after a myocardial infarct; the remaining 22 were discharged after successful treatment of their primary condition and the colitis.