The Relationship between Small-Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Intestinal Permeability in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
- Author:
Jung Ho PARK
1
;
Dong Il PARK
;
Hong Joo KIM
;
Yong Kyun CHO
;
Chong Il SOHN
;
Woo Kyu JEON
;
Byung Ik KIM
;
Kyoung Hee WON
;
Soon Min PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. pjho3@hotmail.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth;
Intestinal permeability;
Irritable bowel syndrome
- MeSH:
Breath Tests;
Cohort Studies;
Female;
Humans;
Inflammation;
Intestinal Mucosa;
Irritable Bowel Syndrome;
Lactulose;
Permeability;
Polyethylene Glycols
- From:Gut and Liver
2009;3(3):174-179
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a frequent finding in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Many patients with IBS also have abnormal intestinal permeability, which is probably due to low-grade inflammation in the intestinal mucosa. Our aim was to verify the relationship between SIBO and small-intestinal permeability in IBS patients. METHODS: A cohort of 38 IBS patients (20 women and 18 men; age range 16-70 years; mean age 40.2 years) with symptoms that fulfilled Rome-II criteria, and 12 healthy controls (5 women and 7 men; age range 25-52 years; mean age: 37.8 years) were recruited. All subjects underwent lactulose breath tests (LBTs) and intestinal permeability tests using the polyethylene glycol (PEG) 3350/400 retrieval ratio. RESULTS: A positive LBT was found in 18.4% (7/38) of patients with IBS and 8.3% (1/12) of control subjects. Intestinal permeability was significantly increased in patients with IBS compared with the normal controls (0.82+/-0.09 vs 0.41+/-0.05 [mean+/-SD], respectively; p<0.05). However, the intestinal permeability did not differ significantly between IBS patients with a positive LBT and those with a negative LBT (0.90+/-0.13 and 0.80+/-0.11, respectively; p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Intestinal permeability was increased in patients with IBS, but this finding did not correlated with the occurrence of SIBO.
