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FMT in Obesity: RYGB vs. LEAN vs. Autologous FMT

Metabolic Outcome of Obese Subjects Receiving Fecal Microbiota Transplantation of Lean Versus Gastric Bypass Treated Subjects. A Pilot Study

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06268990
Acronym
DACH
Enrollment
29
Registered
2024-02-21
Start date
2023-01-01
Completion date
2026-04-30
Last updated
2026-06-26

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Diabetes, Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome, Morbid Obesity, PreDiabetes

Keywords

Fecal microbiota transfer, obesity, glucose homeostasis, bariatric surgery, gut microbiome

Brief summary

This double-blinded proof-of-concept study is proposed to explore the effects of fecal microbiota transfer (FMT) in human subjects. Here we perform FMTs into obese recipients using stool from lean unoperated donors and from previously obese patients after successfull treatment with bariatric Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) surgery. Obese patients treated with their own material (autologous FMT) serve as controls. After FMT treatment the functional impact of post-surgery microbiome changes on host energy consumption and regulation of blood glucose levels will be analysed. Additionally the variations on the microbiota and metabolite composition will be profiled using extensive sequencing analyses. The major aim of the study is to explore the scientific rationale for targeted gut microbiota modulation in management of obesity and related metabolic diseases.We estimate the transfer of microbiota from RYGB donors is superior to the transfer of lean microbiota at inducing reduced adiposity and improving high blood glucose levels in obese recipients. Each is better than a sham procedure (autologous FMT), which itself can also induce considerable short-term effects.

Detailed description

Patients and stool donors (for RYGB-/Lean-FMT-intervention groups) will be recruited at the Endocrinology outpatient clinic at the University Hospital of Graz. Patients will be randomized in a 1:1:1 manner. In all three study groups, patients will be treated with FMT totaling three times every 7 days after an antibiotic pretreatment. Patients randomized to the RYGB- FMT-intervention group will be treated with donor stool from previously obese patients successfully treated with RYGB surgery in terms of maintained weight reduction and improved glucose homeostasis. Patients randomized to Lean-FMT-intervention group will be treated with donor stool from un-operated, metabolically healthy and lean individuals, while patients randomized to the FMT-placebo group will be treated with autologous FMT. For both allogenic FMT interventions, the donor stool from five different patients successfully treated with RYGB surgery (for RYGB-FMT intervention) and from five un-operated, lean and healthy individuals (for Lean-FMT intervention), respectively, will be anaerobically processed before active study period and stored at - 20° C for analysis and subsequent FMT. In addition, stool from all 30 obese FMT recipients (FMT-intervention groups and FMT-placebo group) will be collected before the active study period, processed anaerobically and frozen at -80° C. Only stool samples from patients randomized to the FMT-placebo group (n=10) will be used as allogenic transplants.

Interventions

PROCEDUREFecal microbiota transplantation

FMT is the transfer of fecal material containing gut microorganisms from a donor into the intestinal tract of a recipient

Sponsors

Wiebke Kristin Fenske
Lead SponsorOTHER
Medical University of Graz
CollaboratorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

\- Inclusion criteria for patients * Age \>18 years * Morbid obesity defined by a BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 * Prediabetes or diabetes with HbA1C between ≥ 5.7 % OR * Fasting plasma glucose \> 5.6 mmol/l (\> 100 mg/dl) (no caloric intake for at least 8 hours) OR * Random plasma glucose \> 11.1 mmol/l (\> 200 mg/dl) * Informed consent Inclusion criteria for RYGB-FMT intervention donors * Sustained total weight loss of ≥30% ≥12 months after RYGB surgery * HbA1c \< 6.5% without insulin treatment or oral antidiabetic medication * Age \>18 years * Informed consent Inclusion criteria for LEAN-FMT intervention donors * Normal weight (BMI ≥ 20 to \< 25 \>18 years * Informed consent

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Insulin sensitivityafter 6 weeks treatmentChange in insulin sensitivity after FMT compared to baseline as assessed by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Insulin sensitivityafter 16/24 weeks treatmentChange in insulin sensitivity after 16-/24-week treatment compared to baseline as assessed by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp.
Glucose homeostasisafter 6-/16-/24-week treatmentChange in glucose homeostasis compared to baseline as assessed by HOMA-IR model, fasting glucose level, and HbA1C value
Body weightafter 6-/16-/24-week treatmentChange in total body weight, body mass index (BMI) and body composition after 6-/16-/24-week treatment compared to baseline as assessed by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, DXA)
Blood pressureafter 6-/16-/24-week treatmentChange in blood pressure and antihypertensive medication compared to baseline.
Fasting lipid profileafter 6-/16-/24-week treatmentChange in fasting lipid profile compared to baseline.
Fasting blood liver enzyme levelsafter 6-/16-/24-week treatmentChange in fasting blood liver enzyme levels and liver fat content (assessed by CAP values with the XL probe) compared to baseline
Dietary intake levelsafter 6-/16-/24-week treatmentChange in dietary intake assessed using MyFitnessPal compared to baseline.
Metabolic inflammationafter 6-/16-/24-week treatmentChange in metabolic inflammation and endotoxemia as assessed by circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-6, IL-1ß) and bacterial endotoxins (lipopolysachharide (LPS), LPS-binding protein) compared to baseline
Gut hormonesafter 6-/16-/24-week treatmentChange in postprandial release of gut hormones (PYY, GLP-1, GIP, ghrelin, CCK), insulin and bacterial metabolites (SCFA, Bile acids) before (fasting condition) and during a standardized mixed meal test (MMT) (Fresubin 200ml, 400kcal) compared to baseline
Hunger and Satiety ScoresdailyChange in Hunger and Satiety Scores assessed via visual analog scales during the MMT
Fecal microbiota compositionafter 6-/16-/24-week treatmentChange in diversity and composition of the fecal microbiota as assessed by 16S rRNA gene profiling compared to baseline
Health-related quality of lifeafter 6-/16-/24-week treatmentChange in health-related quality of life and behavior as assessed by established self-report questionnaires compared to baseline measuring: (a) eating behavior including trait food craving (FCQ-T-r), hedonic eating (PFS), restrained eating, overeating, and binge eating (EDE-Q), and emotional eating as well as disinhibition (EI); (b) personality factors such as impulsivity (BIS-15) and reward sensitivity (BIS/BAS); (c) mental and physical health, including depression, anxiety, and substance use (PHQ-D), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ASRS), and quality of life (EQ-5D). All these questionnaires have established reliability and validity.
Tolerability of repeated FMTdailySafety and tolerability of repeated FMT assessed by review of adverse event diary card

Countries

Austria

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORWiebke K. Fenske, Prof. Dr.

University Hospital Bergmannsheil Bochum

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jun 27, 2026