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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
07:06
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation via Colonoscopy for Recurrent C. difficile Infection
Published on: December 8, 2014
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) in the Management of Ulcerative Colitis: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and
Amal Ahad1, Sandeep Kumar2, Hugh Kolomar3
1Department of Endocrinology, Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, GBR.
Cureus
|July 31, 2026
Summary
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) effectively induces clinical and endoscopic remission in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. This therapy shows a favorable safety profile, with multi-donor FMT and oral capsules being promising approaches for UC treatment.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Microbiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with rising global incidence.
- Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is explored for restoring gut microbial balance and immune homeostasis in UC.
- Standardization and safety data for FMT in UC require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy of FMT in achieving clinical and endoscopic remission in UC patients.
- To assess the safety profile of FMT by analyzing adverse events in randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs comparing FMT with placebo in UC patients.
- Primary outcomes included clinical and endoscopic remission rates.
- Secondary outcome was the incidence of adverse events (AEs).
Main Results:
- FMT significantly improved clinical remission rates compared to placebo (RR 1.55; 95% CI 1.22-1.96).
- FMT also demonstrated a significant effect on endoscopic remission (RR 1.68; 95% CI 1.15-2.46).
- The incidence of AEs was similar between FMT and control groups (RR 0.88; 95% CI 0.77-1.00).
Conclusions:
- FMT is an effective therapeutic option for inducing clinical and endoscopic remission in UC patients.
- FMT exhibits a favorable safety profile, comparable to placebo.
- Future research should focus on protocol standardization, mechanistic studies, and long-term trials.
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