Explore the Efficacy and Safety of FMT With Different Bacterial Doses in the Treatment of Hepatic Encephalopathy

A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Controlled Study to Explore the Efficacy and Safety of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation With Different Bacterial Doses in the Treatment of Recurrent Hepatic Encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is one of the most serious complications of end-stage liver disease and an independent predictor of death in patients with liver cirrhosis. Recurrent hepatic encephalopathy is defined as recurrent hepatic encephalopathy after rifaximin combined with lactulose treatment. This project designs a prospective, multicenter cohort study on the treatment of recurrent hepatic encephalopathy with fecal microbiota transplantation, carries out the comparison of fecal microbiota transplantation with different amounts of bacteria, and the dynamic sequencing of the macro genome of the recipient's stool, compares the effectiveness and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation with different amounts of bacteria in the treatment of recurrent hepatic encephalopathy, and explores the internal mechanism of different effects, providing a new idea for the treatment of recurrent HE in clinical practice.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) refers to the transplantation of functional flora from healthy people's feces into patients' intestines to rebuild new intestinal flora and achieve the treatment of intestinal and parenteral diseases. In this study, 100 patients with recurrent hepatic encephalopathy were randomly divided into 1:1 groups to receive FMT with different amounts of bacteria, observe the therapeutic effect and adverse reactions of hepatic encephalopathy, and evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the two groups of patients. At the same time, the blood and stool samples of patients with recurrent hepatic encephalopathy before and after FMT were collected clinically, the composition of bile acid and other metabolites in stool and serum samples was analyzed, and the effective core flora was identified to clarify the mechanism of intestinal bacteria transplantation for the treatment of recurrent hepatic encephalopathy.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. 18-75 years old;
2. At least two obvious episodes of hepatic encephalopathy (West-Haven ≥ 2 ) were related to cirrhosis in the first 6 months, and the condition was in remission (West Haven grade 0 or 1) at the time of enrollment. The attack of hepatic encephalopathy caused by gastrointestinal bleeding requiring at least 2 units of blood transfusion, the use of sedatives, renal failure requiring dialysis or central nervous system injury is not recorded as the previous attack;
3. MELD score i ≤ 25 points (score range is 6-40, the higher the score is, the more serious the disease is)
4. Meet the requirements for receiving FMT through nasojejunal tube
5. The subject (or guardian) has signed the informed consent form

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients expected to undergo liver transplantation within 1 month
2. Patients with known causes of hepatic encephalopathy (including gastrointestinal bleeding and placement of portal systemic shunt or transjugular intrahepatic portal systemic shunt) within 3 months
3. There are chronic renal insufficiency (creatinine level > 2.0mg/dl), respiratory insufficiency, anemia (HB < 8g / dl), electrolyte abnormalities (serum sodium < 125umol / L; serum calcium > 10mg / dl [2.5umol / l]; or serum potassium < 2.5 mmol / L)
4. Heavy drinking in recent 12 weeks
5. Have used drugs that affect the psychometric score of hepatic encephalopathy (PHEs), such as antidepressants and sedative hypnosis, in recent 4 weeks
6. Patients who are allergic to antibiotics before treatment
7. Infection (pathogen obtained through sterile sites)
8. Patients with chronic endogenous gastrointestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease or microscopic colitis), irritable bowel syndrome
9. Suffering from neurological diseases, such as stroke, epilepsy, dementia and Parkinson's disease
10. Pregnant or lactating patients (urine pregnancy test will be used for examination)
11. Patients who cannot provide informed consent
12. Patients who are unwilling or unable to undergo indwelling nasojejunal tube
13. Other researchers think it is not suitable to be included in this experiment