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Effect of Predominant Methanogenic Flora on Outcome of Lactose Hydrogen Breath Test in Controls and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients of North India

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Abstract

The relationship between methanogenic flora and hydrogen (H2) production is considered to be a possible confounding factor in the interpretation of hydrogen breath tests (H2BT). Therefore, the present study was conducted prospectively and included 154 IBS patients (fulfilling Rome II criteria) and 286 age-and-sex-matched apparently healthy controls. Each subject underwent H2BT after overnight fasting using 25 g lactose. Methane and H2 were measured using an SC Microlyser from Quintron, USA, at baseline and every 30 min for a total of 4 h. Subjects with fasting methane concentration <10 ppm were labeled as low methane producers (LMP) and >10 ppm as predominant methane producers (PMP). A rise >20 ppm over base line in hydrogen concentration was taken as +ve hydrogen breath test. IBS and control groups included 66.78% and 67.53% males, respectively. Mean age in the two groups were 48.52 ± 30.54 years (range 15–68 years) and 45.67 ± 30.54 years (range 15–78 years), respectively. Hydrogen breath test was +ve in 77/154 (50%) IBS patients and in 142/286 (49.65%) in controls (P > 0.05). It was also observed that the hydrogen breath test was −ve due to PMP in 5/77 (6.49%) of IBS patients and in 29/154 (20.14%) in controls. PMP affected lactose hydrogen breath tests in 6.49–20.14% subjects. This effect is more apparent in apparently healthy subjects as compared to patients with IBS.

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Acknowledgments

The financial assistance by the ICMR to carry out this work is fully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India

    S. V. Rana, S. K. Sinha, S. Sharma, H. Kaur, D. K. Bhasin & K. Singh

  2. House #137, Sector 15-A, Chandigarh, 160015, India

    S. V. Rana

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  1. S. V. Rana
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  2. S. K. Sinha
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  3. S. Sharma
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  4. H. Kaur
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  5. D. K. Bhasin
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Correspondence to S. V. Rana.

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Rana, S.V., Sinha, S.K., Sharma, S. et al. Effect of Predominant Methanogenic Flora on Outcome of Lactose Hydrogen Breath Test in Controls and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients of North India. Dig Dis Sci 54, 1550–1554 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-008-0532-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-008-0532-3

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