title: In vivo study of colonic fermentation of carbohydrate in infants.
abstract: Dietary carbohydrate in the colon is fermented and converted into short-chain fatty acids. We studied the fate of carbohydrate that arrives in the colon under circumstances similar to those that occur during an episode of diarrhea and determined whether a quantitative correlation exists among certain indicators of colonic fermentation of carbohydrate arriving in the large bowel. A stable-isotope method was used to estimate carbon scavenging by the colon. Fourteen infants with severe malnutrition and history of watery stools and/or increased numbers of stools in the preceding 20 days were studied. Infants underwent nasocecal intubation and a 60-min infusion of 0.5 g/kg glucose containing 5 mg/kg of 13C-glucose. Stools were assessed for carbohydrate-fermenting bacteria, acetate, glucose, and 13C abundance; blood was assessed for acetate; and breath was assessed for hydrogen. Some of the infants eliminated the infusate per anus within 30 min of the infusion (group I; n = 5), while others did so 120 min or more after the infusion (Group II; n = 9). The volume of fecal output after the intracecal infusion differed significantly between group I and group II (57 +/- 13 vs. 24 +/- 4 ml; p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston 77030.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lifschitz
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Carrazza
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Feste
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil; D001944:Breath Tests; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000378:metabolism; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000378:metabolism; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D005285:Fermentation; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000378:metabolism; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D006859:Hydrogen; D005947:Glucose