How effective and safe is fecal microbial transplant in preventing C difficile recurrence?

Abstract

Q: How effective and safe is fecal microbial transplant in preventing C difficile recurrence? Evidence-based answer: fecal microbial transplant (fmt) is reasonably safe and effective. In patients who have had multiple Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs), fecal microbial transplant (FMT) results in a 65% to 80% cure rate with one treatment and 90% to 95% cure rate with repeated treatments compared with a 25% to 27% cure rate for antibiotics (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, small open-label randomized controlled trials [RCTs]). Fresh and frozen donor feces, administered by either nasogastric tube or colonoscope, produce equal results (SOR B, RCTs). FMT has an overall adverse event rate of 30%, primarily involving abdominal discomfort, but also, rarely, severe infections (0.7%) and death (0.1%) (SOR: B, systematic review not limited to RCTs).