FMT in Cirrhosis and Hepatic Encephalopathy

Indication: Cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy

Study Objectives: To evaluate the safety and tolerability of fecal transplant in patients with cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy

Rationale and Supporting Evidence:

Hepatic encephalopathy affects 30-45% of patients with cirrhosis and adversely affects survival in these patients. The mainstay of treatment for hepatic encephalopathy (HE) has long been the manipulation of the gut flora through antibiotics, prebiotics or probiotics. The current first and second line therapies for HE in the US are lactulose and rifaximin respectively that uniquely act within the confines of the gut lumen with encouraging clinical results. However, there is a subset of patients with HE that continues to recur despite being on both treatments. This patient group is at a higher risk of poor outcomes because HE has now been removed from liver transplant priority and multiple episodes of HE can result in cumulative brain injury which may be irreversible. Therefore, the prevention of recurrent HE is an important therapeutic goal.

The investigators' group and other reports have shown that patients with HE and cirrhosis are more likely to have overgrowth of potentially pathogenic bacterial taxa such as Enterobacteriaceae and reduction of autochthonous species such as Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae in the stool and the colonic mucosa. This has been linked to poor performance on cognitive tests that are a hallmark of HE and with increased systemic inflammation in these patients.

Therefore, a gut-based therapeutic option that can potentially improve the recurrence rate and the overall prognosis is needed. Fecal transplant has been shown to be effective in conditions with predominant gut-bacterial overgrowth or alteration such as recurrent Clostridium difficile and inflammatory bowel disease. Safe protocols have been developed across the world and studies are being performed in the US under FDA-monitored INDs. Limitations to performing fecal transplant include identifying and screening appropriate donors, which is time consuming and costly, with the cost typically falling to the patient or donor as the required screening is generally not covered by insurance.

The investigators' preliminary data suggest that a one-time administration of an FMT-enema using a rationally-selected donor is safe in patients with cirrhosis and recurrent HE. However, given the small bowel overgrowth and the predominantly small bowel location for bacterial translocation in cirrhosis, which is out of the reach of an enema, an upper GI route for FMT needs to be explored. In the investigators' published experience, a single enema from a rationally-derived donor was associated with significantly lower total and HE-related hospitalizations compared to patients who were randomized to standard of care, with a stable long-term course over >1 year. The investigators' data show that FMT was associated with favorable changes in fecal bile acid (BA) profile with a decrease in proportions of fecal secondary BAs, conjugated BAs and increase in sulfated BAs, indicating a healthier milieu. The investigators also have preliminary data defining the safety of oral FMT capsules in patients with cirrhosis and HE in a current trial led by us. The use of combined oral and rectal routes of FMT, which can potentially alleviate both small bowel and colonic translocation are likely to be better than either alone.

Overall aim: To determine the effect of dual oral and rectal administration of FMT from a rational donor on clinical outcomes (HE and related hospitalizations, brain function, quality of life) and host-microbiota interactions (microbial composition and bile acid composition with systemic and intestinal inflammation), compared to single route of administration and placebo, along with a second oral capsular FMT vs placebo administration in patients with cirrhosis and HE using a randomized, phase II clinical trial.

Design overview: Four groups of outpatients with cirrhosis will be randomized using random sequence generator into placebo and FMT groups and followed for 6 months under an FDA IND double-blind clinical trial.