Comparison of an increased waist circumference with a positive hydrogen breath test as a clinical predictor of lactose intolerance.
Lactose intolerance is a common disease in pediatrics, and its wrong diagnosis will lead to morbidity. The primary objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of an increased waist circumference during the hydrogen breath test as a predictor of lactose intolerance. The secondary objective was to analyze the impact of body mass index, waist circumference measurement, and age on the abdominal distension of patients with lactose intolerance.



A total of 138 subjects aged 3 to 15 years were included. They underwent serial measurements of the waist circumference and hydrogen levels in the breath every 30 minutes over 3 hours during the hydrogen breath test.



Out of the entire sample, 35 (25.4%) patients had lactose intolerance. An increase of 0.85 cm in waist circumference compared to the baseline waist circumference results in a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 85% to predict lactose intolerance (odds ratio: 42.14, 95% confidence interval: 13.08-135.75, p ≤ 0.001). The body mass index and waist circumference measurement did not affect abdominal distension (p= not significant); however, age modified the time of distension.



A 0.85 cm increase in waist circumference compared to the baseline waist circumference during the hydrogen breath test is a useful parameter for the diagnosis of lactose intolerance in pediatrics. Variations in relation to body mass index and waist circumference did not affect the usefulness of an increased waist circumference, unlike age.
Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José Eleuterio González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, México.
Carlos A
CA
Zapata-Castilleja
Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José Eleuterio González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, México.
Fernando F
FF
Montes-Tapia
Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José Eleuterio González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, México.
Consuelo
C
Treviño-Garza
Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José Eleuterio González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, México.
María C
MC
Martínez-Cobos
Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José Eleuterio González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, México.
Jesús
J
García-Cantú
Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José Eleuterio González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, México.
Vincenzo
V
Arenas-Fabbri
Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José Eleuterio González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, México.
Norma
N
de la O-Escamilla
Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José Eleuterio González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, México. delaocavazos@yahoo.com.
Manuel
M
de la O-Cavazos
D000293:Adolescent; D001944:Breath Tests; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis; D007787:Lactose Intolerance / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D055105:Waist Circumference
D006859:Hydrogen
child; diagnosis; exhaled hydrogen breath; lactose intolerance; waist circumference