Breath Testing for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: Should We Bother?

The American Journal of Gastroenterology
M Pimentel

Abstract

The hydrogen breath test is based on following breath hydrogen levels after the administration of a carbohydrate (most commonly lactulose) to a patient with suspected small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. The test is based on the interaction between the administered carbohydrate and the intestinal bacteria. The resulting fermentation produces hydrogen. A positive breath test is based on a breath hydrogen rise prior to the expected arrival time in the highly microbial cecum. Despite renewed enthusiasm for breath testing in recent years due to associations with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, breath testing poses many challenges. In this argument against breath testing, several pitfalls that complicate breath testing will be described.Am J Gastroenterol advance online publication, 23 February 2016; doi:10.1038/ajg.2016.30.

References

Nov 9, 2007·Digestive Diseases and Sciences·Reza KhoshiniMark Pimentel
Dec 3, 2009·The American Journal of Gastroenterology·Ashok AttaluriSatish S C Rao
Jan 7, 2011·The New England Journal of Medicine·Mark PimentelUNKNOWN TARGET Study Group
May 3, 2014·Digestive Diseases and Sciences·Mark PimentelMeridythe Amichai

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Citations

Sep 16, 2017·Current Treatment Options in Gastroenterology·Jonathan GotfriedRon Schey
Sep 2, 2016·The American Journal of Gastroenterology·Edoardo SavarinoVincenzo Savarino
Jan 29, 2020·The Korean journal of gastroenterology = Taehan Sohwagi Hakhoe chi·Jin Won KimJong Sun Rew
May 16, 2018·Digestive Diseases and Sciences·Shirley Cohen-MekelburgBrian P Bosworth
Jul 6, 2019·JGH Open : an Open Access Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology·Aleksandr BirgHenry C Lin
Sep 26, 2019·Frontiers in Pediatrics·David Avelar RodriguezEamonn Martin Quigley
Oct 22, 2019·JGH Open : an Open Access Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology·Kathleen H McGrathJulie E Bines

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