Effects of Faecal Microbiota Transplantation in Patients With IBS

Study design Patients One hundred and seventy patients who fulfill the following inclusion criteria and lack the exclusion criteria shall be included. In addition, the patients are examined physically, and blood tests are taken to exclude inflammation, and liver, kidney and thyroid diseases. They undergo further gastroscopy with duodenal biopsies to exclude coeliac disease. They undergo also colonoscopy to exclude malignity, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Microscopic colitis is excluded by examining tissue obtained by colonoscopy with segmental biopsy sampling.

Donor selection and screening:

A single donor shall be selected and screened according to the European and international guidelines. The donor should not be a first-degree relative to any of the patients, as the intestinal microbiota is affected by the genetic composition, and similarity between the donor and recipient in the fecal microbiota may occur.

Protocol

Feces collection, preparation and administration:

Feces from both the donors and recipients were collected and stored at - 80•. Frozen feces (30 or 60g) from the donor or patients (placebo), thawed at 5° C and were dissolved in 50 mL of 0.9% sterile saline per 30 g feces. The dissolved stool is administrated to the patients, after overnight fast, through working channel of gastroduodeno-scope in pars descendent duodenum distal to the papilla of Vater.

Sigmoidoscopy: After administration of faeces, a sigmoidoscopy is performed during which 4 biopsies from the sigmoid colon about 30 cm from anus, and 4 biopsies from the rectum about 15 cm from anus are taken. Sigmoidoscopy is repeated in the same way 1 month after FMT.

Methods Questionnaires

• IBS symptom severity Scale (IBS-SSS) questionnaire.
• Birmingham Symptom scale questionnaires.
• IBSQoL questionnaire.
• Short form of Nepean Dyspepsia Index (SF-NDI) questionnaire.
• Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS).

Microbiome analysis Gut microbiota analysis was performed using the GA-mapTM Dysbiosis test (Genetic Analysis AS, Oslo, Norway) by algorithmically assessing fecal bacterial abundance and profile (dysbiosis index, DI), and potential deviation in the microbiome from normobiosis. GA-map test is based on fecal homogenization, mechanical bacterial cell disruption and automated total bacterial genomic DNA extraction using magnetic beads. DI is based on 54 DNA probes targeting more than 300 bacterial strains based on their 16S rRNA sequence in seven variable regions (V3-V9). Twenty-six bacteria probes are species specific, 19 detect bacteria on genus level, and 9 probes detect bacteria at higher taxonomic levels. Probe labeling is by single nucleotide extension and hybridization to complementary probes coupled to magnetic beads, and signal detection by using Bio Code 1000A 128-Plex Analyzer (Applied Bio Code, Santa Fe Springs, CA, USA). A DI above 2 shows a microbiota profile that differs from that of the normobiotic reference collection (DI 1-2: non-dysbiosis, DI: moderate, DI 4-5: severe dysbiosis).

Inclusion criteria

• Patients between who fulfill Rome IV criteria for the diagnosis of IBS.
• Patients with moderate to severe IBS symptoms (IBS-SSS ≥ 175).

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant, planning pregnancy or lactating women.
• The use of antibiotics or probiotics within 1 month prior to FMT.
• Patients who had undergone any abdominal surgery, with the exception of appendectomy, cholecystectomy, Caesarean section or hysterectomy.