UC patients failed to show significant improvement after fecal microbiota therapy

CHICAGO — Patients with ulcerative colitis treated with fecal microbiota therapy did not show significant improvements after 6 weeks of treatment, but may improve with longer therapy, a researcher said during a late-breaking presentation at Digestive Disease Week.

Paul Moayyedi, BSc, MB ChB, PhD, director of the division of gastroenterology at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, and colleagues conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled study with 61 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients given fecal microbiota therapy (FMT) or placebo, 50 mL water enema, once a week for 6 weeks. Thirty-one patients received FMT and 30 received placebo.

Moayyedi said no differences were observed in primary outcomes (remission of UC) and secondary outcomes (changes in Mayo score, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire and EQ-5D) between study groups. The researchers wrote that their study was the first that showed “no statistically significant effect of FMT on active UC.”

Patients who received FMT reported some improvement after treatment, but they were not in remission (Mayo scores of 2 or lower) at 7 weeks. The patients continued FMT for 6 to 12 more weeks and remission from FMT was evident in some patients.

“FMT is an interesting approach to treating UC,” Moayyedi said during his presentation. “However, our random, controlled trial is negative and does not support the use of FMT at this time. We need to get more data, and we need to understand how better to use this approach. I think it is an interesting avenue, but we need to evaluate it.” - by Melinda Stevens

For more information:

Moayyedi P. #929c. Presented at: Digestive Disease Week 2014; May 3-6; Chicago.

Disclosure: The researchers report numerous financial disclosures.