Gut Microbial Changes Following Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for D-Lactic Acidosis in Two Children

Abstract

D-lactic acidosis (D-LA) is an uncommon complication of short bowel syndrome characterized by elevated plasma D-lactate and encephalopathy. Treatments include rehydration, dietary carbohydrate restriction, and antibiotics to alter the gut microbiota. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has recently been used in children to successfully treat D-LA. We compared the clinical course and then utilized metagenomic shotgun sequencing to describe changes in the composition and function of the intestinal microbiome following FMT in 2 patients with recurrent D-LA. FMT altered the composition of the fecal microbiota in these 2 patients with recurrent D-LA, though not necessarily in a consistent manner. Importantly, microbial metabolic pathways were also impacted by FMT, which may be critical for achieving desired clinical outcomes. While sample size limits the generalizability of our results, these findings set the stage for further understanding of the role of microbes in the pathogenesis of recurrent D-LA.