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

• Main Authors: Xiaofei Qi, Xuewei Li, Ye Zhao, Xiaojin Wu, Feng Chen, Xiao Ma, Faming Zhang, Depei Wu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-09-01
• Series: Frontiers in Immunology
• Subjects: fecal microbiota transplantations; refractory gastrointestinal; graft-vs.-host disease; diarrhea; a pilot study
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fimmu.2018.02195/full

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.