Hydrogen breath test in patients with functional bowel disorders and suspected carbohydrate malabsorption
HAYES, Inc
Record ID 32017000373
English
Authors' recommendations:
Hydrogen breath tests (HBTs) may be used to identify carbohydrate malabsorption by assessing changes in hydrogen expiration following the administration of lactose, fructose, or other carbohydrates. Carbohydrate malabsorption may be suspected in patients with symptoms suggestive of or a diagnosis of functional bowel disorders (FBDs), including irritable bowel disease. In these patients, HBTs may identify an underlying cause of the symptoms and thereby also potential treatments. However, the clinical utility and clinical validity of HBTs have not been firmly established.
Rationale: Lactose or fructose hydrogen breath test (LHBT or FHBT, respectively) results are obtained quickly compared with genotyping techniques and are comparatively safer and less costly than more invasive techniques.
Controversy: While breath tests are used widely in clinical and research settings, a lack of standardized approaches has yielded wildly variable diagnostic values. The tests are sensitive to several outside factors that serve as potential sources for false-positive HBT results (e.g., presence of oral flora at the time of the test, failure to adhere to a low-fiber diet the day before the test, rapid transit through the small intestine) and false-negative HBT results (presence of methanogenic bacteria in the intestine, delayed gastric emptying).
Relevant Questions: What is the clinical validity of HBTs for the detection of carbohydrate malabsorption in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or other FBDs?
What is the clinical utility of HBTs for the detection of carbohydrate malabsorption in patients with IBS or other FBDs?
What are the harms associated with HBTs? Have definitive patient selection criteria been
established?
Details
Project Status:
Completed
Year Published:
2017
URL for published report:
The report may be purchased from:
http://www.hayesinc.com/hayes/crd/?crd=66826
English language abstract:
An English language summary is available
Publication Type:
Not Assigned
Country:
United States
MeSH Terms
- Breath Tests
- Carbohydrates
- Humans
- Hydrogen
- Gastrointestinal Diseases
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Contact
Organisation Name:
HAYES, Inc.
Contact Address:
157 S. Broad Street, Suite 200, Lansdale, PA 19446, USA. Tel: 215 855 0615; Fax: 215 855 5218
Contact Name:
saleinfo@hayesinc.com
Contact Email:
saleinfo@hayesinc.com
Copyright:
Winifred S. Hayes, Inc
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.