Fecal microbiota transplants improve cognitive impairment caused by severe liver disease

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-04/eaft-fmt041117.php

Public Release: 21-Apr-2017
Fecal microbiota transplants improve cognitive impairment caused by severe liver disease
ILC 2017: Fecal microbiome transfer significantly reduced the number of hospitalizations compared to standard of care treatment
European Association for the Study of the Liver

A study presented today found that faecal transplantation of bacteria from one healthy donor into patients that suffer from hepatic encephalopathy (decline in brain function due to severe liver disease), is safe and improves cognitive function compared with standard of care treatment for the condition. Presented at The International Liver Congress™ 2017 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, the study results also demonstrated that the number of hospitalisations following faecal transplantation plus antibiotics was two, compared to the standard of care arm (lactulose and rifaximin), which was 11 (IQR 83 days). Specifically, there was a significant reduction in hospitalisations due to recurrent hepatic encephalopathy (six in the standard of care and none in the faecal transplant arm).

In the study, faecal transplant plus antibiotic treatment was well tolerated without any serious side effects. Furthermore, it was found that the faecal transplant plus antibiotic therapy restored antibiotic-associated changes in the body's bacterial composition.

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