Fiber Food Introduction in Pediatric Short Bowel Syndrome

Description

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a rare but challenging condition in which patients have insufficient bowel length to meet fluid, electrolyte, and nutrient requirements without parenteral support. The purpose of this study is to determine how well dietary fiber is tolerated in patients with short bowel syndrome compared to patients without short bowel syndrome based on assessment of gastrointestinal symptoms, and corresponding changes in microbiome composition and metabolomics.

Conditions

Short Gut Syndrome

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a rare but challenging condition in which patients have insufficient bowel length to meet fluid, electrolyte, and nutrient requirements without parenteral support. The purpose of this study is to determine how well dietary fiber is tolerated in patients with short bowel syndrome compared to patients without short bowel syndrome based on assessment of gastrointestinal symptoms, and corresponding changes in microbiome composition and metabolomics.

Clinical Tolerance and Microbiome Changes Following Fiber Food Introduction in Short Bowel Syndrome

Fiber Food Introduction in Pediatric Short Bowel Syndrome

Condition
Short Gut Syndrome
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Philadelphia

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Actively follows at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) outpatient clinics
  • * SBS arm specific: History of SBS diagnosis. History of short bowel syndrome based on surgical/imaging records. Has ileocecal resection (No ICV) and small bowel is in continuity with some portion of colon
  • * Control arm specific: No history of intestinal pathologies
  • * No or negligible amount (few bites of fiber-containing foods okay) of fiber in tube feeds or by mouth at baseline
  • * Less than 20% calories from oral food not containing fiber while the other 80% may be by enteral and/or parenteral feedings
  • * At least 20% calories from fiber-free formula taken orally or via tube
  • * Antibiotic use is allowed, however, should be on a stable regimen of antibiotics starting from 2 weeks prior to intervention until end of study or end of week 3 whichever is sooner. Instances of antibiotic use for brief courses (7-10 days) as long as sample collection is scheduled to be at least a week from the end date of antibiotics.
  • * Previous history of fiber introduction failure is acceptable as long as clinically stable at the time of recruitment
  • * Fiber supplementation is appropriate per primary physician
  • * If subject is unable to provide full set of samples, they will still be enrolled
  • * SBS Arm specific: No diagnosis of SBS. No history of ICV resection.
  • * Control Arm specific: has baseline intestinal diseases
  • * Small bowel and colon not in continuity (Ex: presence of ileostomy or jejunostomy)
  • * \>5% changes in percentage of calories from oral nutrition (PO), enteral nutrition (EN) and/or parenteral nutrition (PN) during the intervention
  • * Addition/discontinuation/significant alteration to antibiotics regimen during study period
  • * Primary physician does not think fiber supplementation is appropriate clinically

Ages Eligible for Study

4 Months to 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Collaborators and Investigators

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia,

Lindsey Albenberg, DO, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Christina Bales, MD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Wenjing Zong, MD, STUDY_DIRECTOR, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Study Record Dates

2026-05