title: Prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with gastrointestinal motility abnormalities that could favor the occurrence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in PD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive PD patients were enrolled. The controls were subjects without PD. All patients and controls underwent the glucose breath test to assess small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-eight PD patients and 36 controls were enrolled. The prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth was significantly higher in PD patients than in controls (54.17% vs 8.33%; P < .0001; OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 3.50-48.24). Multivariate analysis showed Hoehn and Yahr stage (OR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.14-8.27) and Unified PD Rating score (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.02-1.23) were significantly associated with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in PD patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is highly prevalent in PD. Gastrointestinal motility abnormalities might explain this association.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. mauriziogabrielli@gmail.com
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gabrielli
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonazzi
authors.forename: Emidio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scarpellini
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bendia
authors.forename: Ernesto C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Lauritano
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fasano
authors.forename: Maria G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ceravolo
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capecci
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rita Bentivoglio
authors.forename: Leandro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Provinciali
authors.forename: Pietro A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tonali
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*