Fecal Transplantation Reduced Hospitalizations and Improved Cognitive Function in Cirrhosis Trial

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Jasmohan S. Bajaj, M.D. Virginia Commonwealth University Associate Professor Department of Internal Medicine Division of Gastroenterology

Dr. Bajaj

Jasmohan S. Bajaj, M.D.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Associate Professor
Department of Internal Medicine
Division of Gastroenterology

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: Hepatic encephalopathy is a devastating complication of cirrhosis, which often recurs despite standard of care therapy with lactulose and rifaximin. This has a basis in an altered gut milieu therefore we need to change that in a more meaningful way to help patients. This was an FDA-monitored Phase I safety study of Fecal microbiome transfer (FMT) using a rationally-derived donor compared to standard of care.

We found that FMT was safe and was associated with lower all-cause and hepatic encephalopathy-related hospitalizations over 5 months compared to standard of care.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: There are gut-based alternatives in patients with recurrent hepatic encephalopathy but these need to be studied in larger numbers.
For now Fecal microbiome transfer remains investigational in this population.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: We are going to initiate a trial with oral capsules instead of the enema used in this trial to determine if that will work as well.

MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Response: This trial was partly supported by the VA Merit review and the materials were provided by OpenBiome Inc.

MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.

Citation:

Abstract presented at the 2017 European Association for the Study of the Liver. “Fecal microbiota transplants improve cognitive impairment caused by severe liver disease: Fecal microbiome transfer significantly reduced the number of hospitalizations compared to standard of care treatment.”
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Last Updated on April 24, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD