Trial reportGut1997
Short chain fatty acid rectal irrigation for left-sided ulcerative colitis: a randomised, placebo controlled trial.
Trial report in Gut, 1997. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 92 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
92 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 280 citations in OpenAlex.
- Short-chain fatty acids in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Systematic review and meta-analysis.Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.] · 2025Pooled it
- Gut microbiome-associated predictors as biomarkers of response to advanced therapies in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review.Gut microbes · 2023Pooled it
- Meta-analysis of the placebo response in ulcerative colitis.Digestive diseases and sciences · 2008Pooled it
- Fish oil for induction of remission in ulcerative colitis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2007Pooled it
- Effect of curcumin on the gut microbiota of patients with ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and healthy participants.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Treatment of ulcerative colitis by feeding with germinated barley foodstuff: first report of a multicenter open control trial.Journal of gastroenterology · 2002Trial
- Combined oral sodium butyrate and mesalazine treatment compared to oral mesalazine alone in ulcerative colitis: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study.Digestive diseases and sciences · 2000Trial
- Short-Chain Fatty Acids at the Crossroads of Microbiota, Immunometabolism, and Inflammation.Biomedicines · 2026Review
- Short-chain fatty acids.Nature metabolism · 2026Review
- The Gut Microbiota Regulates Motor Deficits via Butyrate in a GnalAdvanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- Gut Microbiota-Derived Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Mechanistic Insights into Gut Inflammation, Barrier Function, and Therapeutic Potential.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- A comprehensive review of usefulness of sodium butyrate for the management of inflammatory bowel disease: from molecular mechanisms to clinical application.Przeglad gastroenterologiczny · 2026Review
- Detection of tissue colonizing bacteria and their association with clinicopathological and molecular features of inflammatory bowel disease.Journal of translational medicine · 2025Article
- Gut microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids and their role in human health and disease.Nature reviews. Microbiology · 2025Review
- Examination of Anti-Inflammatory Effects After Propionate Supplementation in the R6/2 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- The Probiotic StrainInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Linking Short-Chain Fatty Acids to Systemic Homeostasis: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Potential, and Future Directions.Journal of nutrition and metabolism · 2025Review
- Engineered Probiotic-Based Biomaterials for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment.Theranostics · 2025Review
- The role of short-chain fatty acid in metabolic syndrome and its complications: focusing on immunity and inflammation.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
- Short-chain fatty acids: linking diet, the microbiome and immunity.Nature reviews. Immunology · 2024Review
32 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
14 authors at 12 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundShort chain fatty acid (SCFA) deficiency is associated with colitis in animals and humans, and the mucosal metabolism of these compounds is decreased in ulcerative colitis.
aimsTo assess the efficacy of topical SCFA treatment in ulcerative colitis. PATIENTS AND
methods103 patients with distal ulcerative colitis were entered into a six week, double-blind, placebo controlled trial of rectal SCFA twice daily; patients who were unchanged on placebo were offered SCFA in an open-label extension trial.
resultsOf the 91 patients completing the trial, more patients in the SCFA treated than in the placebo treated group improved (33% v 20%, p = 0.14, NS). Those on SCFA also had larger, but statistically non-significant, reductions in every component of their clinical and histological activity scores. In patients with a relatively short current episode of colitis (< 6 months, n = 42), more responded to SCFA than to placebo (48% v 18%, p = 0.03). These patients also had larger, but statistically non-significant, decreases in their clinical activity index (p = 0.08 v placebo). Every patient who improved used at least five of six of the prescribed rectal SCFA irrigations, whereas only 37% who did not improve were as compliant. In the open-label extension trial, 65% improved on SCFA; these patients also had significant reductions (p < 0.02) in their clinical and histological activity scores.
conclusionsAlthough SCFA enemas were not of therapeutic value in this controlled trial, the results suggest efficacy in subsets of patients with distal ulcerative colitis including those with short active episodes. Prolonged contact with rectal mucosa seems to be necessary for therapeutic benefit.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.