4.1. Limitations
Our physician survey garnered a relatively high response rate
from a broad geographic area; however, results may not be
appropriately generalized to all infectious diseases physicians or all
hospitals. Because respondents may have been more likely to be
interested in CDI than non-respondents, our findings likely overestimate
the average infectious diseases consultants’ activities in
the treatment of CDI. We surveyed only infectious disease physicians,
not gastroenterologists, who comprise another major group
that manages problematic CDI. Some fraction of these patients may
be jointly managed by gastroenterologists and infectious disease
clinicians, whereas some may be managed exclusively by gastroenterologists.
Recent media attention following the published
highly successful randomized clinical trial of FMT [14] and FDA
regulatory action surrounding FMT [19] could have biased responses
toward greater FMT interest and utilization in particular;
however, this survey was administered, and results obtained,
before either of these events. Lastly, our findings are limited by the
fact that we did not ask respondents to correlate their success rates
with the route of instillation or the volume of fecal material
administered.