Treating Steroid Refractory Intestinal Acute Graft-vs.-Host Disease With Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: A Pilot Study

Front Immunol. 2018 Sep 25:9:2195. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02195. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Patients with steroid refractory gastrointestinal (GI) tract graft- vs.-host disease (GvHD) face a poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. To accurately assess the efficacy and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in treating steroid refractory GI tract GvHD, we conducted a pilot study involving eight patients. Having received FMTs, all patients' clinical symptoms relieved, bacteria enriched, and microbiota composition reconstructed. Compared to those who did not receive FMT, these eight patients achieved a higher progression-free survival. FMT can serve as a therapeutic option for GI tract aGVHD, but its effectiveness and safety need further evaluations. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03148743.

Keywords: a pilot study; diarrhea; fecal microbiota transplantations; graft-vs.-host disease; refractory gastrointestinal.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease / therapy
  • Adult
  • Drug Resistance
  • Fecal Microbiota Transplantation*
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Female
  • Glucocorticoids / pharmacology*
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
  • Graft vs Host Disease / immunology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / mortality
  • Graft vs Host Disease / therapy*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / therapy
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Diseases / immunology
  • Intestinal Diseases / mortality
  • Intestinal Diseases / therapy*
  • Intestines / immunology
  • Intestines / microbiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pilot Projects
  • Progression-Free Survival
  • Prospective Studies
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT03148743