Metronidazole in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and Clostridium difficile infection in high-risk hospitalised patients.

Background: In-hospital diarrhoea has a high impact on morbidity and mortality rates among hospitalised patients. Chemoprophylaxis with antibiotics in selected patients could be a cost-effective tool for prevention.

Methods: A prospective randomised, open-label study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Mexico City, selecting patients at high risk of acquiring in-hospital diarrhoea and assigning them to a group taking metronidazole 500mg orally every eight hours for seven days or an observation group.