Fecal microbiota transplantation in hepatic encephalopathy : a review of the current evidence and future perspectives

Abstract

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a leading cause of hospitalization and morbimortality in advanced cirrhosis with limited therapeutic options available. Given the paramount role of gut microbiota in HE, and the efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in other diseases, this review intends to summarize the evidence supporting the safety, efficacy and future perspectives of FMT in HE. Current evidence, despite being scarce, points towards FMT being a safe, effective and tolerable procedure in HE. Some unanswered questions remain about the optimal dose, the administration route, the long term effects and the selection of the optimal donor. Future trials, some of which are already underway, will provide us additional evidence and hopefully the necessary answers.

Keywords: cirrhosis; fecal microbiota transplantation; gut microbiome; hepatic encephalopathy.