Research Progress in Fecal Microbiota Transplantation as Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional disorder characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort associated with altered bowel habits. Due to the uncertainty of the pathogenesis of IBS and the diversity of its clinical manifestations, IBS cannot be completely cured. Increasing evidence suggests the key role of altered intestinal microbiota in the pathogenesis of IBS. Therefore, attention is being shifted to adjusting the changes in intestinal microbiota to control IBS symptoms. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), antibiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics are currently often employed as treatment for IBS. And FMT is the most significant therapeutic efficacy with the least number of side effects. FMT provides a creative way to restore the abnormal gut microbiome in patients with IBS. But although current clinical studies confirm the effectiveness of FMT in the treatment of IBS, they are short-term studies of small samples, and there is still a lack of large-scale long-term studies. In this paper, we review the intestinal microbiota changes of IBS, the common methods of treating IBS with intestinal microbes, and the research status of FMT for the treatment of IBS. Finally, we put forward some opinions on the future research direction of FMT treatment of IBS.