P847 A pilot trial on the effect of a fibre-enriched nutritional supplement on the gut microbiota of stricturing Crohn’s disease patients

C.M. Herrera De Guise1, E. Varela2, A. Ibarz1, R. Burgos3, G. Cardenas3, M. Luis Fernando1, V. Robles1, N. Borruel1, F. Guarner Aguilar1, F. Casellas1

1Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Gastroenterology, Barcelona, Spain, 2Institut de Recerca Vall d’Hebron, Gastroenterology, Barcelona, Spain, 3Unitat de Suport Nutricional, Nutrition, Barcelona, Spain

Background

Diet is a potential factor that could influence the pathogenesis and activity of Inflammatory Bowel Disease(IBD). Soluble fibre is the best way to generate short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, which has anti-inflammatory effects. Around 1/3 of Crohn’s disease (CD) patients will present with stricturing disease, most frequently in the terminal ileum. These patients often follow a very low-residue diet. CD patients present significant changes in the structure of their microbiota with a decreased prevalence of butyrate-producing bacteria such as Clostridiales species, particularly Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Depletion of F. prausnitzii might be further enhanced in patients with a very low-residue diet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a nutritional supplement enriched with soluble fibre on the abundance of F. prausnitzii in stricturing CD.

Methods

We performed a single arm, pilot trial in CD patients with ileal stricturing disease who followed a very low-residue diet as assessed by a dietician. The fibre-enriched nutritional supplement (reg#26.06141/BA-72556) consisted of a 200ml vanilla-flavoured shake that included 3.4 gr of soluble fibre, omega-3 and oleic fatty acids. Patients received 2 supplements per day for 6 weeks, and were followed for 6 months. We obtained frozen faecal samples at time-points 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 weeks. Total bacteria and F. prausnitzii counts were assessed by qPCR. Weight, BMI, CD activity index (CDAI), CRP, fatty acids, urine F2-isoprostanes and faecal calprotectin were also determined. Tolerance, palatability and acceptability of the supplement were assessed with validated questionnaires at weeks 3 and 6.

Results

Ten patients were included in the study with a median age of 38 [36–50] years, 60% were male, median BMI 25.2 [24.3–28.4] and 40% were current smokers. Six patients completed the 6 weeks of the supplement. Two patients did not receive the supplement because they underwent ileocecal resection, 1 patient was lost to follow-up and 1 patient dropped-out early because of poor palatability of the supplement. At baseline, all patients had F. prausnitzii levels below 109 CFU/g (median 2.02 × 106). Supplement intake did not significantly increase F. prausnitzii levels (p = 0.73) and had no effect on CDAI, CRP, urine F2-isoprostanes or faecal calprotectin. Most usual complaints associated with the supplement were abdominal bloating and flatulence.

Conclusion

CD patients with structuring disease and who follow a very low-residue diet have a markedly reduced abundance of F. prausnitzii. Intake of a 6.8 g/day fibre-enriched nutritional supplement was unable to significantly increase F. prausnitzii abundance in these patients. Fibre supplement was not associated with adverse events.