Biography
Amira Mohamed Taha is a highly accomplished medical student at Fayoum University, Egypt. With a passion for research and a drive for excellence, she has made significant contributions to the field of medicine through her publications and conference presentations.
As a first author, Amira has published more than 5 articles in prestigious peer-reviewed journals, including the renowned LANCET ID. Her research focuses on various aspects of medicine, showcasing her diverse knowledge and expertise. Her publications have not only contributed to the existing body of scientific literature but have also garnered recognition from fellow researchers and professionals in the field.
Introduction
Severe alcoholic hepatitis (SAH) is a serious condition with few effective treatment options. Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) has been proposed to treat SAH by modulating the gut-liver axis. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy of FMT versus the standard of care (SOC) in improving SAH patient survival rates.
Methods: Up to September 2023, a thorough search of electronic databases that included PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted. We included randomised controlled trials and observational studies comparing the survival rates of SAH patients undergoing FMT versus SOC. Using Review Manager 5.4, we pooled data to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results: The meta-analysis consisted of six studies with a total of 371 patients. Patients who received FMT had significantly higher survival rates at 1 and 3 months compared to those who received SOC, with pooled odds ratios (OR) of 2.91 (95% CI: 1.56 – 5.42, p = 0.0008) and 2.89 (95% CI: 1.68 – 4.98, p = 0.0001), respectively. However, the survival advantage disappeared after 6-12 months of follow-up, with a pooled OR of 1.65 (95% CI: 0.50 – 5.41, p = 0.41). The heterogeneity among the included studies was found to be non-significant in terms of survival rates at 1 and 3 months (I2 = 0%, p = 0.57) and (I2 = 0%, p = 0.56), but significant in terms of survival rates at 6-12 months (I2 = 76%, p = 0.02).
Conclusion: This meta-analysis highlights the potential of FMT in significantly improving short-term survival rates in SAH patients. However, the survival benefit did not last over a longer period of 6-12 months. These findings call for additional research into the long-term efficacy and safety of FMT, along with strategies for extending the survival benefit.