title: [The H2-lactulose breath test in the diagnosis of intestinal transit time].
abstract: The H2-Lactulose breath test is used to detect small bowel bacterial overgrowth but mainly to evaluate the orocoecal transit time (OCTT) in man. The result of the H2-breath test is influenced by several intestinal and extraintestinal factors that cause a large variability of normal values. By reviewing the possible influencing factors of the breath tests we try to make a contribution to a better judgement of the results as the H2-lactulose breath-test is a simple noninvasive and non-expensive screening in the investigation of gastrointestinal disorders. For evaluating the better dosage of lactulose in gastroenterological routine diagnostic we designed a prospective study. The test was performed in 12 healthy volunteers by ingestion of 10 g and 20 g lactulose to quantitate the OCTT and to evaluate it in normal conditions. We found that the length of transit is related to the dose of lactulose. OCTT was 97.1 +/- 22.4 min. after ingestion of 10 g lactulose, and significantly shorter, 57.1 +/- 16.6 min. after ingestion of 20 g lactulose (p less than or equal to 0.01). The lower dose of lactulose is more suitable for routine diagnostic because of better acceptance despite slower transit time.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Innere Medizin II, Universitätsklinik Ulm.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilberg
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pieramico
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malfertheiner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods*; D004187:Disaccharides; D005260:Female; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D007792:Lactulose; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D004187:Disaccharides; D007792:Lactulose; D006859:Hydrogen
vernacular_title: Der H2-Laktulose-Atemtest in der Diagnostik der intestinalen Transitzeit.