FECAL SHORT-CHAIN FATTY-ACIDS IN PATIENTS WITH ANTIBIOTIC-ASSOCIATED DIARRHEA, BEFORE AND AFTER FECAL ENEMA TREATMENT

Background: Antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (AAD) may range fi om mild disturbances to severe pseudomembranous colitis. Many antibiotics aff ect several intestinal microflora-associated characteristics, such as short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) pattern. In the present.study we investi gated SCFAs in 31 patients on admittance to the hospital for severe AA D. Nine patients were followed up more extensively after they had rece ived an enema containing faecal microflora from a healthy person on a Western diet. Methods: Faecal SCFAs were determined by gas chromatogra phy The enema was characterized before use. Results: AAD patients show ed significant disturbances in faecal SCFA pattern. Clinically, most e nema-treated patients recovered within days and had no relapses within 18 months. Conclusions: Intestinal microflora showed great disturbanc es, and the amounts of SCFAs were reduced, although the diarrhoea was not related to total amount SCFAs. Administration of a faecal enema re sulted in the clinical recovery of most patients with severe diarrhoea within 4 days.