Advanced Liver Disease

Dr. Jasmohan Bajaj at the Richmond VA Medical Center and Virginia Commonwealth University completed placebo controlled trials studying the impact of microbial restoration in patients with End Stage Liver Disease, Cirrhosis and Hepatic Encephalopathy, where patients experience confusion due to high ammonia and inflammation connected to changes in the gut microbiome. 

Details on the most recent phase2, double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial are available here. In this trial, researchers found patients who received Fecal Microbiota Transplant had lower recurrences of Hepatic Encephalopathy than patients who received placebo. All patients also received current standard of care treatments Lactulose, to reduce ammonia in the bloodstream, and Rifaximin, an intestinal, non-absorbent, antibacterial agent. Published results of the clinical trial are available here.

Read more about the impact of microbial composition in liver disease and cirrhosis here and here.