Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Chronic Liver Diseases: Current Understanding and Future Direction

Abstract

Chronic liver disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Even though effective treatments are now available for most chronic viral hepatitis, treatment options for other causes of chronic liver disease remain inadequate. Recent research has revealed a previously unappreciated role that the human intestinal microbiome plays in mediating the development and progression of chronic liver diseases. The recent remarkable success of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in treating Clostridioides difficile demonstrates that the intestinal microbiota can be manipulated to obtain favorable therapeutic benefits and that FMT may become an important component of a total therapeutic approach to effectively treat hepatic disorders.

Keywords: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD); Bile acids; Chronic liver diseases; Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT); Nonalcoholic hepatitis (NASH); Nonalcoholic liver disease (NAFLD).