# Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in patients with irritable bowel syndrome



## Nanobug (Nov 7, 2006)

From "Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in patients with irritable bowel syndrome":"Our data do not support an important role for SIBO according to commonly used clinical definitions, in IBS. *However, mildly elevated counts of small bowel bacteria seem to be more common in IBS and needs further investigation.* Motility alterations could not reliably predict altered small bowel bacterial flora."Although the use of aspirate is problematic, the study still finds a correlation between IBS and elevated bacterial counts in the small bowel. I wonder what a lactulose breath test would have shown.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

They used a more accurate test for this then the Lactulose testing method. The lactulose testing method may not be accurate or accurate enough. SIBO (standard definition) was found in 4% of both patients and controls. That is a big difference then 80% and was found in the controls.also this is interesting."Mildly elevated bacterial counts (>/=5x103/mL) were more common in patients compared with controls (43% vs. 12%; p=0.002), *but this was unrelated to small intestinal motility. No correlation between bacterial alterations and symptom pattern could be observed. "*


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## Nanobug (Nov 7, 2006)

> quote:They used a more accurate test


That is debatable. The aspirate requires culturing. However, according to Pimentel, no one knows how to culture at least 2/3 of all bacteria species present. The test based on aspirate may very well be under-diagnosing patients.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

'aspirate requires culturing"This is true and you also need a really experienced doctor to do the procedure. There is no gold standard for testing for sibo.That method is better then lactulose however.Testing methodshttp://www.medicinenet.com/small_intestina...rowth/page4.htmfor the most part all the testing methods have issues.


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