Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) remains a significant clinical challenge, especially in patients with risk factors like antibiotic use, hospitalizations, and opioid exposure. This case underscores the importance of recognizing atypical presentations of CDI, particularly in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women. While diarrhea is the hallmark symptom, this patient presented with constipation and hyponatremia, complicating the diagnostic process. CDI should be considered even in the absence of diarrhea in patients with relevant risk factors to prevent severe outcomes like fulminant colitis.
This case also highlights the association between CDI and secondary complications like hyponatremia, attributed here to the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). The diagnostic process involved ruling out other causes, including acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), which added complexity to the patient’s clinical picture. The case illustrates the need for comprehensive differential diagnoses and a multidisciplinary approach to care. It also calls for further research into the links between gastrointestinal infections like CDI and systemic conditions such as SIADH and AIP to enhance diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.
Reference: Ismail M, Goyal R, Elaskandrany MA, et al. Atypical Clostridium difficile Infection in a Pregnant Patient: A Case Study on Non-Diarrheal Presentation and Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH) Complication. Cureus. 2024 Feb 2;16(2):e53449. doi: 10.7759/cureus.53449. PMID: 38435144; PMCID: PMC10909384.
