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| BREATH
TESTS |
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| Breath
tests offer a non-invasive means of assessing some gastrointestinal
infections, malabsorption of certain sugars and small intestinal
transit time. These tests are based on the principle that within
the gastrointestinal tract, bacteria are normally limited to
the colon, where they digest or ferment substrates such as carbohydrates
and nitrogenous compounds which escape digestion and absorption
in the small intestine. Digestion by bacteria is expected to
produce gases which include carbon dioxide (CO2)
and hydrogen (H2), which are reabsorbed and equilibrated
with the blood leaving the intestine and expelled in the breath.
The table below shows some types of breath tests, the disorders
for which these tests may be helpful and some of the symptoms
that may suggest the disorder. These tests do not entail
any exposure to radiation. |
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Benefits
of the technique:
| • |
Non-invasive,
causing minimum discomfort |
| • |
Easy
to perform |
| • |
No
radiation risk |
| • |
Can
be repeated with |
|
short
intervals |
| • |
Of
physiologic, pharmacologic and clinical use |
| • |
Reduced
cost |
|
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| Tests |
Disorders |
Symptoms
which patients may have |
| 13C-urea
breath test |
Helicobacter
pylori infection in patients with peptic ulcer disease |
Dyspepsia |
| Lactose
H2 breath test |
Lactose
intolerance |
Abdominal
cramps, bloating, flatulence, diarrhoea after drinking
milk |
| Lactulose
H2 breath test |
Rapid
or delayed intestinal transit |
Chronic
diarrhoea or constipation |
| Glucose
H2 breath test |
Intestinal
bacterial overgrowth (excessive bacteria in the small
intestine which may develop because of motility disorders,
acid suppression, and after intestinal surgery. |
Diarrhoea,
steatorrhoea, abdominal pain, bloating, weight loss |
13C
octanoic acid breath test
|
Gastroparesis |
Bloating,
post-prandial discomfort, distension, early satiety |
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