News briefs

Faecal transplant effective treatment for ulcerative colitis

Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can be used to treat patients with ulcerative colitis, according to new South Australian research, published in JAMA. The randomised, double‐blind study, a collaboration between the University of Adelaide, the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, the CSIRO and SA Health, included 73 adult participants with mild to moderate active ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the large intestine and rectum, causing pain and bloody stools, and leading to an increased risk of colon cancer. Patients received by colonoscopy either anaerobically prepared pooled donor faecal microbiota, or their own stool (as placebo), followed by two enemas over 7 days. Researchers found that a short duration of low intensity FMT could induce remission in ulcerative colitis; the remission rate was 32% with donor stool, compared with 9% with placebo (95% confidence interval [CI] for difference, 4%–42%; odds ratio, 5.0 [95% CI, 1.2–20.1]; P=0.03). This is outcome is similar to that achieved by the most effective currently available therapies, many of which act by suppressing the immune system, which can lead to side effects such as infection and malignancy. The authors have already reached an agreement with British company Microbiotica to develop of a commercial microbial therapeutic. The investigators note that further research is needed to assess the longer term maintenance of remission and safety.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2720727

Sleeping less than 6 hours a night may increase cardiovascular risk

People who sleep fewer than 6 hours a night may be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease than those who sleep for 7–8 hours, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. According to the study, poor quality sleep increases the risk of atherosclerosis (plaque build‐up in arteries). Previous studies have found that lack of sleep increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by exacerbating heart disease risk factors such as high glucose levels and blood pressure, inflammation, and obesity. The new study included 3974 bank employees in Spain from the PESA CNIC‐Santander Study, which uses imaging techniques to detect and measure the rate of progression of subclinical vascular lesions in a population with an average age of 46 years. None of the participants had known heart disease, and two‐thirds were men. All wore an actigraph, a small device that continuously measures activity or movement, to measure their sleep over 7 days. They were divided into four groups: those who slept less than 6 hours, 6–7 hours, 7–8 hours, or more than 8 hours. The participants underwent 3D heart ultrasound and cardiac computed tomography scans for evidence of heart disease. The study found that, after correcting for traditional risk factors, participants who slept less than 6 hours were 27% more likely those who slept 7–8 hour to have atherosclerosis throughout their bodies. Similarly, those with poor quality of sleep were 34% more likely to have atherosclerosis than those who had good quality of sleep. Quality of sleep was defined by how often a person woke during the night and the frequency of movements that reflect the sleep phases. Although the number of participants who slept more than 8 hours was small, the results of the study also suggested that women who slept more than 8 hours a night had an increased risk of atherosclerosis. Alcohol and caffeine consumption were higher among participants with short and disrupted sleep, the study found.

http://www.onlinejacc.org/content/73/2/134