The Prevalence of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth in Korean Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Paik, Chang Nyol; Choi, Myung Gyu; Nam, Kwan Woo; Kwon, Jung Hyun; Chang, Jae Hyuck; Suh, Jung Pil; Lee, In Seok; Park, Jae Myung; Cho, Yu Kyung; Kim, Sang Woo; Chung, In Sik

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) has been known as one of the important pathophysiologic findings in IBS patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of SIBO by using a breath test (BT) in Korean patients with IBS.
METHODS
Forty nine controls and 39 IBS patients underwent a lactulose BT (LBT) every 15 minute for 180 minutes. At least 7 days later, the glucose BT (GBT) was performed every 10 minute for 120 minutes in 33 (patients: n=13, control: n=20) who had undergone the LBT.
RESULTS
1) The H2 detected from 45 to 120 minutes in the LBT was significantly higher in the patients with IBS than that for the controls. 2) The prevalence of SIBO with LBT in the IBS patients was significantly higher than that in the controls (48.7% vs. 26.5%, respectively p<0.05). 3) The prevalence of SIBO with LBT in the subgroups of the IBS patients was 44.4% for the IBS-D, 66.7% for the IBS-C and 33.3% for the IBS-A (p=ns). 4) The positive rates of GBT in the control and IBS patients were 20% and 7.1%, respectively (p=ns).
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of SIBO as diagnosed with using LBT was significantly higher in Korean patients with IBS, suggesting that SIBO was an important etiologic factor of IBS.