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Cedars-Sinai investigators have identified a gas produced in gut that could improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Patients complaining of pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and other gastrointestinal distress are routinely given a breath test to determine if they have small intestine bacterial overgrowth, an excess of certain bacteria in the small intestine.
The presence of methane gas often explains the symptoms but has not been linked to diarrhea in many patients. Now a large-scale clinical trial has identified the presence of another gut gas-hydrogen sulfide among these patients who experience diarrhea. Pimentel’s team unveiled the new study results at the Digestive Disease Week conference in Washington D.C., where Cedars-Sinai investigators shared other research findings as well.
The new research has led to the development of a new four-gas breath test device. The novel device will allow physicians to better diagnose and treat small intestine bacterial overgrowth in patients. And the new tool will also be useful in screening for IBS-the most common GI disorder in the world.
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