Poster 795 Weight Change After Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) Is Not Associated With Donor Body Mass Index (BMI)
Author Insight from Monika Fischer, MD, MSCR, Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Indiana University
What’s new here and important for clinicians?
The gut microbiota has been shown to differ in lean and obese individuals. Anecdotal data suggest that patients may encounter dramatic weight changes following FMT. We aimed to assess changes in BMI in comparison to stool donors’ BMI following a single FMT. In a study of 58 patients and donor pairs during a mean 13 months of follow-up, we found no correlation between recipient % BMI change and baseline donor BMI (p=0.608), or % BMI change/months (p=0.824). Twenty-six patients received stool from a lean donor (BMI 23.1±1.1), 22 patients from an overweight donor (BMI 29.1±1.5), and 9 patients from an obese donor (BMI 32.4±2.6). Of note, only two patients experienced change in taste of foods, both stating that sweet food tasted bitter since FMT. Otherwise, all recipients denied any voluntary attempts to lose/gain weight, changes in food cravings, or appetite.
In our study of 58 recipient-donor pairs, donor weight was not associated with weight change in the recipient following a single FMT. We found no clinically relevant change in recipient BMI following a single FMT regardless of donor BMI.
What do patients need to know?
Anecdotal data exists about weight gain following a single fecal transplant. In our study of 58 patient and stool donor pairs, we did not find significant weight change associated with the donor’s weight. With other words: a single stool transplant from a lean donor did not lead to weight loss and a single stool transplant from an overweight or even obese donor did not lead to weight gain.
Author Contact Monika Fischer, MD, MSCR, Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Indiana University
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