Paper
The Relationship between Small-Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Intestinal Permeability in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Published Sep 1, 2009 · J. Park, D. Park, Hong-Joo Kim
Gut and Liver
40
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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.
Intestinal permeability is increased in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, but this finding does not correlate with the occurrence of small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
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