Fructose-sorbitol malabsorption and symptom provocation in irritable bowel syndrome: relationship to enteric hypersensitivity and dysmotility.
BACKGROUND
Fructose-sorbitol (F-S) mixtures can provoke symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients, and a proportion of IBS patients also have enteric hypersensitivity to distension. We hypothesized, therefore, that sugar malabsorption and fermentation to produce hydrogen gas may provoke symptoms to a greater extent in IBS patients hypersensitive to distension than in those patients without such hypersensitivity. Our aims were therefore to compare, in IBS patients, symptoms and breath hydrogen responses after F-S, on the basis of jejunal sensitivity and jejunal motor function.


METHODS
Fifteen female IBS patients (44 +/- 15 years) underwent, on separate occasions, 3-h breath hydrogen analyses after ingesting 10 g lactulose and 25 g fructose with 5 g sorbitol. Jejunal sensitivity and motor function were determined by balloon distension and 24-h manometry studies, respectively. Cumulative symptom scores and breath hydrogen production were analysed on the basis of the presence or absence of jejunal hypersensitivity and dysmotility.


RESULTS
Four and seven patients had jejunal hypersensitivity for initial perception and pain, respectively. Eleven, nine, and nine patients had jejunal dysmotility for fasting phase 3, phase 2, and fed motor activity, respectively. Of the patients with symptom provocation after F-S (n = 8 within 3 h, n = 12 within 12 h) or with F-S malabsorption (n = 10), the relative proportion did not differ on the basis of the presence or absence of jejunal hypersensitivity or of motor dysfunction. Symptom scores and hydrogen production also were not different in these subgroups.


CONCLUSIONS
Although carbohydrate malabsorption can provoke symptoms in some IBS patients, there is no consistent association between such a phenomenon and the presence of either jejunal hypersensitivity or dysmotility.
Evans
P R
PR
Dept. of Medicine, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Australia.
Piesse
C
C
Bak
Y T
YT
Kellow
J E
JE
D000328:Adult; D001944:Breath Tests; D002404:Catheterization; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007583:Jejunum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012677:Sensation; D012996:Solutions; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D012996:Solutions; D005632:Fructose; D013012:Sorbitol