Nature Communications · 7 authors, 6 centres
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In a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled pilot trial of 24 individuals with metabolic syndrome, faecal filtrate transplantation (FFT) was safe and well-tolerated but did not significantly alter glucose metabolism compared to placebo. FFT significantly altered phage virion composition at day 2 post-intervention, coinciding with more virulent phage-microbe interactions, though this effect was transient.
In this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled pilot trial, 24 individuals with metabolic syndrome were randomised 1:1 to receive faecal filtrate transplantation (FFT) from a lean healthy donor or placebo, with follow-up to day 28. The primary outcome of glucose metabolism showed no significant differences between groups, although a slight improvement in glucose variability was noted in the FFT group. FFT was well-tolerated with no serious adverse events, and only mild gastrointestinal effects were reported. Phage virion composition was significantly altered at day 2 post-FFT compared to placebo, with 216 differentially abundant viral populations, coinciding with more virulent phage-microbe interactions; this difference resolved by day 28. Six bacterial host species were enriched in the FFT group, including the butyrate producer Roseburia intestinalis. Limitations include the small sample size, short follow-up, and large heterogeneity within the metabolic syndrome population, warranting larger studies to confirm findings.
