Fecal microbiota transplantation for the maintenance of remission in patients with ulcerative colitis: A randomized controlled trial
Perttu Lahtinen, Jonna Jalanka, Eero Mattila, Jyrki Tillonen, Paula Bergman, Reetta Satokari, Perttu Arkkila
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) is a promising new method for treating active ulcerative colitis (UC), but knowledge regarding FMT for quiescent UC is scarce. AIM: To investigate FMT for the maintenance of remission in UC patients. METHODS: colonoscopy. The primary endpoint was set to the maintenance of remission, a fecal calprotectin level below 200 μg/g, and a clinical Mayo score below three throughout the 12-mo follow-up. As secondary endpoints, we recorded the patient's quality of life, fecal calprotectin, blood chemistry, and endoscopic findings at 12 mo. RESULTS: = 0.003). There were no differences in blood chemistry, fecal calprotectin, or endoscopic findings among the study groups at 12 mo. The adverse events were infrequent, mild, and distributed equally between the groups. CONCLUSION: There were no differences in the number of relapses between the study groups at the 12-mo follow-up. Thus, our results do not support the use of a single-dose FMT for the maintenance of remission in UC.