Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Children With ASD

Recruiting now · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Autism Spectrum Disorder

In brief

This is a single-center, randomized, double-dummy, triple-blind, placebo-controlled, three-arm parallel-group superiority trial. The study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) administered via two different invasive routes-nasojejunal tube (NJT) and colonoscopy-versus a placebo control in children aged 3-16 years with moderate-to-severe Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A total of 75 participants will be randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive either active FMT via NJT with sham colonoscopy, active FMT via colonoscopy with sham NJT, or placebo via both routes. All participants will continue their stable behavioral interventions throughout the study. The primary outcome is the change from baseline to Week 24 in the total score of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Secondary outcomes include changes in other behavioral and gastrointestinal symptom scores, gut microbiota profiling, and safety assessments over 48 weeks.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07381374

Run by

Shenzhen Children's Hospital

People needed

1

Starts

2026-03-21

Expected to finish

2027-04-12

Last updated by the study team

2026-06-09

Who can join

Age: 3 and older, up to 16. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Aged 3-16 years.
• Diagnosed with ASD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), with a Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) total score ≥36 (moderate-to-severe autism).
• Legal guardians fully comprehend the trial's informed consent and voluntarily provide written consent.
• Compliance with follow-up visits, examinations, and specimen collection.
• No probiotic supplements consumed within the preceding 3 months.

You may not qualify if…

• Use of probiotics or prebiotics within 3 months prior to enrollment.
• Antibiotic usage within 1 month prior to enrollment.
• Presence of fever (axillary temperature ≥37.5°C).
• Dependency on tube feeding.
• Severe gastrointestinal conditions requiring immediate intervention (e.g., life-threatening intestinal obstruction, perforation, hemorrhage, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, or eosinophilic esophagitis).
• Diagnosis of severe malnutrition, underweight status (BMI-for-age <3rd percentile), or severe immunodeficiency disorders.
• History of severe allergic reactions (e.g., anaphylaxis).
• Monogenic disorders (e.g., Fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome).
• Comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, including depression, developmental speech/language disorders, intellectual disability, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), selective mutism, reactive attachment disorder, or childhood schizophrenia.

Where it is running

• Children's Hospital, Shenzhen — Shenzhen, Guangdong, China (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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