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Clinical Trial
. 2015 Mar;21(3):556-63.
doi: 10.1097/MIB.0000000000000307.

Fecal microbial transplant effect on clinical outcomes and fecal microbiome in active Crohn's disease

David L Suskind  1 , Mitchell J Brittnacher, Ghassan Wahbeh, Michele L Shaffer, Hillary S Hayden, Xuan Qin, Namita Singh, Christopher J Damman, Kyle R Hager, Heather Nielson, Samuel I Miller
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Fecal microbial transplant effect on clinical outcomes and fecal microbiome in active Crohn's disease

David L Suskind et al. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2015 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory intestinal disorder associated with fecal dysbiosis. Fecal microbial transplant (FMT) is a potential therapeutic option for individuals with CD based on the hypothesis that changing the fecal dysbiosis could promote less intestinal inflammation.

Methods: Nine patients, aged 12 to 19 years, with mild-to-moderate symptoms defined by Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index (PCDAI of 10-29) were enrolled into a prospective open-label study of FMT in CD (FDA IND 14942). Patients received FMT by nasogastric tube with follow-up evaluations at 2, 6, and 12 weeks. PCDAI, C-reactive protein, and fecal calprotectin were evaluated at each study visit.

Results: All reported adverse events were graded as mild except for 1 individual who reported moderate abdominal pain after FMT. All adverse events were self-limiting. Metagenomic evaluation of stool microbiome indicated evidence of FMT engraftment in 7 of 9 patients. The mean PCDAI score improved with patients having a baseline of 19.7 ± 7.2, with improvement at 2 weeks to 6.4 ± 6.6 and at 6 weeks to 8.6 ± 4.9. Based on PCDAI, 7 of 9 patients were in remission at 2 weeks and 5 of 9 patients who did not receive additional medical therapy were in remission at 6 and 12 weeks. No or modest improvement was seen in patients who did not engraft or whose microbiome was most similar to their donor.

Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that FMT for CD may be a possible therapeutic option for CD. Further prospective studies are required to fully assess the safety and efficacy of the FMT in patients with CD.

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Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors have a conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Fecal Microbiota Analysis of Fecal Microbial Transplant Recipient as a Function of Similarity to Donor, and Self.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Microbial Species detected in Transplant Recipients at 2 weeks post Fecal Microbial Transplant that were below detection pre-FMT.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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