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| Hydrogen Breath Test. My gastro Room |
Hydrogen breath test is a non-invasive test for investigation of small bowel bactrial overgrowth or lactose intolerance.
SBBO:
In the normal gut, easily digestible
starch undergoes complete digestion and absorption
within the proximal small intestine and is not available for fermentation in the
distal ileum and colon where bacterial colonizationis the greatest.
In contrast, gas production
results from bacterial fermentation of poorly digestible starch that is not
assimilated by the proximal gut.
In SBBO, the
concentration of bacterial flora increases proximally allowing fermentation of both
easily digestible and poorly digestible starches.
Factors that increase the risk mof SBBO:
Intestinal dysmotilty syndromes e.g DM
Change in anatomy: strictures, jujenal diverticulosis and post surgical natomy involving blind loop.
Factors that increase the risk mof SBBO:
Intestinal dysmotilty syndromes e.g DM
Change in anatomy: strictures, jujenal diverticulosis and post surgical natomy involving blind loop.
Which of the following statements regarding lactose intolerance is correct?
ReplyDelete1-Lactose intolerance is best diagnosed with a methane breath test
2-Lactose intolerance is commonest in white Northern Europeans
3-Lactose intolerance is treated by glucose and galactose replacement therapy
4-Lactose is degraded to glucose and fructose by lactase
5-Rotavirus infection may precipitate the diagnosis of lactose intolerance
Lactase acts on lactose to generate glucose and galactose.
Lactose intolerance is least common in white northern Europeans and is more common in Asian, and East Asian races.
Lactose intolerance may be diagnosed with a DNA assay of the lactase gene along with a hydrogen breath test. Any GI infection may reveal lactose intolerance as gut flora may be altered by large bowel bacterial or viral load, as well as the treatment of infection.
A change from an Eastern to a Western high lactose diet may also reveal lactose intolerance.
Many patients labelled as having IBS may suffer from undiagnosed lactose intolerance and many medications use lactose as a binding and stabilising agent.
Treatment of lactose intolerance is with careful replacement of lactase.