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IBS Responds to Fecal Microbiota Transplant
Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol; 2018 Jan; Johnson, et al
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) may help alleviate irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to a randomized double blind clinical trial. Details of the trial include:
- Among 83 patients who were divided into 2 groups, FMT relieved IBS among patients with diarrhea and with diarrhea/constipation.
- FMT was administered via a colonoscope into the cecum, with patients receiving 50-80 g of feces combined with 200 ml of isotonic saline and 50 ml of 85% glycerol.
- The goal was to relieve patients’ symptoms, as measured by a severity scoring system, by more than 75 points.
- At 3 months, 65% of patients receiving FMT responded, compared to only 43% in a placebo group.
Citation:
Johnsen, PH, Hilpüsch F, Cavanagh JP, et al. Faecal microbiota transplantation versus placebo for moderate-to-severe irritable bowel syndrome: A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, single-centre trial. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;3:17-24. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(17)30338-2.