Background: CAM is frequently used in Western European countries, especially in chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), with a frequency ranging from 20% to 50%. No recent data on CAM use are available for Austrian IBD patients. The aim of our study is to determine the frequency of CAM use in IBD patients in Austria as well as factors influencing CAM use.

Results: A total of 383 IBD patients [ulcerative colitis (UC):151; Crohn's disease (CD):225, and IBD-U:7] were tested for CDI during the study period.CDI was detected in 28 (7.3%) patients (7.3% UC; 7.6% CD).The mean age of patients with or without CDI was comparable (46 ± 21 vs. 44 ± 20 years, respectively).Patients with CDI were more frequently hospitalized during the 2 months prior to CDI (71% vs 29%, P<0.05), they were more likely to be treated by systemic steroids (50% vs 24%, P<0.05) and by proton pump inhibitors (54% vs 21%, P<0.05).Patients with or without CDI had similar mean hospitalization duration (7.1 days), and there was no significant difference in mortality and in the number of subsequent hospitalizations during the year following CDI was noticed.Conclusions: The rate of CDI in patients hospitalized due to IBD exacerbation is 7.3%, higher than the reported CDI rate of the general population.However, CDI may not impact patients' prognosis as previously thought.