Comparison of the 1-gram (/sup 14/C)xylose, 10-gram lactulose-H/sub 2/, and 80-gram glucose-H/sub 2/ breath tests in patients with small intestine bacterial overgrowth

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1986 · Gastroenterology; (United States)

OSTI ID:7134566

King, C E; Toskes, P P

The sensitivity of three breath tests (1-g (/sup 14/C)xylose, 10-g lactulose-H/sub 2/, and 80-g glucose-H/sub 2/) was studied in 20 subjects with culture-documented small intestine bacterial overgrowth. Elevated breath /sup 14/CO2 levels were seen within 30 min of (/sup 14/C)xylose administration in 19 of 20 subjects with bacterial overgrowth and 0 of 10 controls. In contrast, H/sub 2/ breath tests demonstrated uninterpretable tests (absence of H/sub 2/-generating bacteria) in 2 of 20 subjects with bacterial overgrowth and 1 of 10 controls and nondiagnostic increases in H/sub 2/ production in 3 of 18 glucose-H/sub 2/ and 7 of 18 lactulose-H/sub 2/ breath tests in subjects with bacterial overgrowth. These findings demonstrate continued excellent reliability of the 1-g (/sup 14/C)xylose breath test as a diagnostic test for bacterial overgrowth, indicate inadequate sensitivity of H/sub 2/ breath tests in detecting bacterial overgrowth, and suggest the need for evaluation of a /sup 13/CO/sub 2/ breath test having the same characteristics as the (/sup 14/C)xylose test (avidly absorbed substrate having minimal contact with the colonic flora) for nonradioactive breath detection of bacterial overgrowth in children and reproductive-age women.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville
• OSTI ID: 7134566
• Journal Information: Gastroenterology; (United States), Vol. 6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
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HYDROGEN
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