FMT for 90-Day Outcome of Clinical Use in ICU Sepsis

Sponsor
Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Study ID
NCT07670299
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • Critical Illness
  • Dysbiosis
  • Fecal Microbiota Transplantation
  • Gastrointestinal Dysfunction
  • Sepsis

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 70 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Gut microbiota suspension — OTHER
    FMT is a biologic intervention that involves the transfer of functional microbiota from the feces of healthy screened donors into the recipient's intestinal tract to restore gut microbial diversity and ecological stability. The FMT product is prepared from 100-150 g of adolescent donor feces, processed into 300 mL of fecal microbiota suspension, with each 50-100 mL. Patients in the intervention group receive FMT via nasojejunal tube on 3 consecutive days, with 50 mL of fecal microbiota suspension administered daily between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Patients are fasting for at least 2 hours before FMT and remain fasting for 2 hours after each administration. The intervention is administered in addition to standard ICU care.

Study Details

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, representing one of the leading causes of death in intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide. Gut microbiota disruption is increasingly recognized as a key driver of persistent inflammation and multiple organ dysfunction in septic patients. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as a promising approach to restore gut microbial homeostasis. This study hypothesizes that FMT acts not through long-term engraftment of donor microbes, but via a "functional pulse" - a potent, transient biological intervention that delivers high-dose microbial metabolites (e.g., short-chain fatty acids), competitively inhibits pathogens, and rapidly modulates intestinal immune cell functions. This is a single-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial conducted in the ICU of Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. A total of 60 adult patients diagnosed with sepsis according to Sepsis-3 criteria within 24 hours of ICU admission will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either ICU standard care alone (control group) or ICU standard care plus FMT administered via a nasojejunal tube for three consecutive days (intervention group). The primary endpoint is all-cause mortality at 90 days. Secondary endpoints include ICU mortality, in-hospital mortality, 28-day mortality, changes in gut microbiota composition and metabolites, serum citrulline levels as a marker of intestinal barrier function, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores, vasopressor requirements, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels, fluid balance, incidence of ICU delirium and feeding intolerance, and 90-day hospital readmission rate. Safety outcomes include gastrointestinal symptoms and transient fever.

Key Dates

First listed
Jun 26, 2026
Start date
Jul 15, 2026
Status verified
Jun 2026
Primary completion
Jul 15, 2028
Completion
Oct 15, 2028

Study Design

Enrollment
60 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • No Intervention: Control Group
    Participants in this arm will receive standard ICU care according to current clinical guidelines and standard practice, including vital sign monitoring, treatment of underlying diseases, nutritional support, and sedation/analgesia management. Participants will not receive fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT).
  • Experimental: FMT Intervention Group
    Participants in this arm will receive standard ICU care plus FMT administered via a nasojejunal tube. FMT will be given once daily for 3 consecutive days, with 50-100 mL of fecal microbiota suspension administered between 11:00 and 13:00 each day. No oral antibiotics are allowed during the FMT period.

Primary Outcome Measure

All-Cause Mortality at 90 Days [ Time Frame: 90 days post-enrollment ]

Central Contacts

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