Breath hydrogen test after a bean meal demonstrates delayed oro-cecal transit time in children with chronic constipation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate oro-cecal transit time in children with chronic constipation.


METHODS
34 patients with chronic functional constipation age 3 to 13 years and 15 controls without constipation. Oro-cecal transit time was evaluated using the hydrogen breath test after ingestion of lactulose and after a standard meal of cooked beans. Total and segmental colonic transit times were measured with radiopaque markers.


RESULTS
Of 34 patients with chronic constipation 61.8% had increased total colonic transit time (>62 hours). Oro-cecal transit time measured with lactulose as substrate was similar (p=0.727) in constipated patients with increased colonic transit time (63.8+/-16.3 minutes), in constipated patients with normal colonic transit time (66.9+/-22.9 minutes), and in controls (65.3+/-15.5 minutes). Using a test meal of beans, the hydrogen breath test showed that oro-cecal transit time of constipated patients with increased total colon transit time was higher (252.4+/-23.2 minutes) than oro-cecal transit time of constipated patients with normal colonic transit time (227.7+/-39.6 minutes) or controls (205.3+/-23.3 minutes) (p<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Hydrogen excretion in breath after a bean test meal showed delayed oro-cecal transit time in children with chronic constipation with abnormal total colonic transit time.
Soares
Ana Cristina Fontenele
AC
Pediatric Gastroenterology Division and the Medical Imaging Department, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Lederman
Henrique Manoel
HM
Fagundes-Neto
Ulysses
U
de Morais
Mauro Batista
MB
D000293:Adolescent; D001944:Breath Tests; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003106:Colon / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003248:Constipation / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen; D007792:Lactulose / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
D007792:Lactulose; D006859:Hydrogen