FMT Washed microbiota transplantation targeting both gastrointestinal and extraintestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (Aug 2023, N=73) "Sleep quality, anxiety, depression, GI symptoms, and IBS severity significantly improved one month after WMT in all patients"

[Michael Harrop]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278584623001252

"Washed microbiota transplantation" is a Chinese term for filtered stool used in FMT.

Abstract​

Objective​

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been reported with the treatment potential for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, the knowledge of its effect on extraintestinal symptoms of IBS is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the improved methodology of FMT, washed microbiota transplantation (WMT), on sleep disturbances, and psychological and gastrointestinal symptoms among patients with IBS.

Methods​

This was a prospective observational study involving patients with IBS who underwent WMT. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess sleep quality. The Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) and IBS Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS) were used to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms and IBS severity, respectively. The Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) were used to evaluate depression and anxiety, respectively. All the symptoms were evaluated at baseline and one month after WMT. A multiple logistic regression model was used to determine the predictive factors of sleep improvement one month after WMT.

Results​

Seventy-three patients with IBS were included in the study. Sleep quality (Z = −4.221, P < 0.001), anxiety (Z = −4.775, P < 0.001), depression (Z = −4.610, P < 0.001), gastrointestinal symptoms (Z = −5.364, P < 0.001), and IBS severity (Z = −6.468, P < 0.001) significantly improved one month after WMT in all patients. The scores of the five components of PSQI including subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, and sleep disturbances decreased in 52 patients with poor sleep quality (all P < 0.05). Baseline sleep duration scores were identified as an independent predictive factor of sleep improvement one month after WMT in patients with poor sleep quality (OR 2.180 [95% CI = 1.017–4.673]; P = 0.045). Patients that experienced sleep improvement demonstrated greater alleviation in depression (Z = −1.990, P = 0.047) and IBS severity (Z = −2.486, P = 0.013) compared with patients without sleep improvement.

Conclusion​

This study suggested that WMT might be a promising therapy for patients with IBS, especially those with comorbid sleep and psychological disorders.

Click to shrink...

 

[lord91]

This study is excellent news for people suffering from IBS. Besides, I've always been told to be wary of Chinese studies.
Michael, I don't know if you have access to the full study? I only have access to the abstract / short summarize version. 1 month is too short to assess long-term benefits, but it could be promising. Also we have no information on the donor, was he carefully selected? If not, the results could be even better with a "super donor". Do we know the exact protocol used for their WMT? It would be a great healing opportunity if it could be reproduced with humanmicrobe donors.

Best regards,

 

[Michael Harrop]

Yes, you're right to be skeptical, and you asked good questions. Unfortunately, sci-hub no longer has new articles due to legal issues.