Update on Fecal Microbiota Transplantation In Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Abstract

The microbiome in our digestive tract has beneficial and symbiotic effects on our health. Loss of this diversity may be associated with certain autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, a condition hallmarked by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract due to dysregulated immune response to host intestinal microflora. Fecal microbiota transplantation has been effective in treating medically refractory Clostridium difficile infection and is now being studied in other gastrointestinal diseases, including IBD. Several recent meta-analyses have been performed to determine the efficacy of using FMT in patients with Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis. It has also been the focus of small trials in order to treat pouchitis and extraintestinal manifestations of IBD. This article is a systemic review of the up to date clinical trials and metaanalysis focusing on the use of FMT for patients with IBD.