Evaluating the efficacy of synbiotics in the treatment of patients with anorexia nervosa: a randomised controlled trial.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K16552
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52010:General internal medicine-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Hata Tomokazu 九州大学, 大学病院, 助教 (10535983)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 神経性やせ症 / 腸内細菌 / シンバイオティクス / 尿毒症毒素 / メタボローム解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study was to scientifically verify the effect of symbiotics (‘SynB’) on the correction of dysbiosis in patients with anorexia nervosa (‘AN’). As a preliminary experiment, AN patients were treated with SynB; a trend towards greater weight gain per cumulative energy intake was observed in patients treated with SynB. Subsequently, the subject of this study, a randomised controlled trial with placebo administration, was initiated; due to the intermittent spread of COVID-19 infection, it was not possible to collect a valid sample size for analysis at the end of FY2023. Due to the double-blind nature of the study, it is unclear which group is the SynB group, but differences between groups have been observed in feeding efficiency and other parameters.

Free Research Field

内科学一般(含心身医学)

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現状、有効なサンプル数に到達していないため、二重盲検試験の盲検化を解除していない。どちらの群がSynB群か不明であるが、摂食効率などに群間差を認めており、SynB投与が摂食効率に影響を及ぼすことが示唆される。今後、学術的意義として、腸内細菌叢や各種代謝物がAN患者にどのような影響を及ぼしているか明確になると考える。また、社会的意義として、病状改善につながる新しい食事療法の提案が可能となると考える。