Conclusion This meta- analysis supports the potential use of microbial therapies in the treatment of NAFLD and sheds light on their potential mode of action .
Context Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD ) is a highly prevalent and underdiagnosed comorbidity of many chronic diseases that is associated with altered intestinal bacterial communities .
This association has prompted research into alternative treatments aim ed at modulating intestinal microbiota .
Given the novelty of these treatments , scarce evidence regarding their effectiveness in clinical population s exists .
Objective This meta- analysis sought to systemically review and quantitatively synthesize evidence on prebiotic , probiotic , and synbiotic therapies for patients with NAFLD in r and omized controlled trials .
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: From Clostridium difficile to Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Fecal microbiota transplantation ( FMT ) has evolved from a case report in the medical literature to the basis of major innovations in the treatment of Clostridium difficile infection ( CDI ) and , potentially , inflammatory bowel disease ( IBD ) . In the clinical setting , FMT was noted to significantly lower the risk of recurrent CDI , likely by increasing microbial diversity and altering the metabolic environment in the intestinal tract of recipients . In parallel , advances in the ability to quantify and characterize microbial communities in fecal sample s led to the association of IBD with a state of intestinal dysbiosis . Consequently , a number of case series and r and omized , controlled trials have evaluated FMT in treating active ulcerative colitis or Crohn 's disease . Unlike in CDI , the efficacy of  FMT  in the treatment of IBD appears to be influenced by a number of factors , including donor microbial profiles , inflammatory burden , and the microbial diversity of the recipient . The therapeutic potential of the microbiome has led to a number of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies isolating specific strains from healthy stool for use as targeted therapies for IBD in clinical trials . Ongoing studies are likely to determine the missing link between the efficacy of FMT  and its impact on microbial communities and mucosal inflammation
Conclusion This meta- analysis supports the potential use of microbial therapies in the treatment of NAFLD and sheds light on their potential mode of action .
Context Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD ) is a highly prevalent and underdiagnosed comorbidity of many chronic diseases that is associated with altered intestinal bacterial communities .
This association has prompted research into alternative treatments aim ed at modulating intestinal microbiota .
Given the novelty of these treatments , scarce evidence regarding their effectiveness in clinical population s exists .
Objective This meta- analysis sought to systemically review and quantitatively synthesize evidence on prebiotic , probiotic , and synbiotic therapies for patients with NAFLD in r and omized controlled trials .