Does Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for C. difficile Impact IBD?

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk for Clostridium difficile infection, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is considered an effective treatment for C. difficile infection in these patients. However, the impact of FMT on the course of IBD is less clear.

In a single-center study, researchers prospectively evaluated 35 patients (22 with ulcerative colitis and 13 with Crohn disease; age range, 8–93 years) for at least 2 months after they underwent FMT for recurrent C. difficile infection.

FMT was effective; only 1 of 13 patients retested within 2 months after FMT was positive for C. difficile. However, 54% of patients required treatment escalation for their IBD, including initiation of steroids in 5 patie…