Orocaecal transit time measured by breath hydrogen test in pre-school children

The orocaecal transit time (OCTT) was measured in 90 healthy children aged 1 to 5 years with the hydrogen breath test using lactulose (10 g in 10 per cent aqueous solution) as the test meal. The re1ationships between OCTT and gender, age, malnutrition status were assessed. The OCTT for 1.5 year-old children was 90.2 +/- 20.25 min (mean +/- SD). There was no significant difference in mean OCTT between boys and girls (89.03 +/- 15.45 vs. 91.05+/- 23.24). The mean OCTT of children who were still breast-fed (92.86+/-27.1 min) was also not different from those who were completely weaned (89.15+/-17.0 min). There was also no difference in OCTT between malnourished and non-malnourished children, and between age groups (1-2 y, 2-3 y, 3-4 y and 4-5 y).

Evaluation of tuberculin response after BCG vaccination:by gestation and by age at immunization

Tuberculin response following BCG vaccination was evaluated in 3 groups of babies. One hundred and sixteen full term babies (Group I) were vaccinated with BCG at birth; 89 full term babies (Group II) received BCG at the end of third month of life and Group III was made up of 48 preterm babies (32-36 weeks) given BCG vaccination at birth. The sizes of PPD induration area [mm] (6.3+/-3.1 Vs 2.5+/-3.0; P< 0.00001) and BCG scar diameter (3.7+/-1.5 Vs 2.7+/-1.3; P< 0.0001) were significantly larger in full term than preterm babies all of whom were vaccinated at birth, whereas no significant difference was observed between full term babies who were vaccinated at different age. The complications of BCG vaccine were not observed in all study groups. This study suggests that tuberculin responses are equivalent at birth and at third month of age in full term babies. Although immune response is not fully developed in preterm babies (32 to 36 weeks of gestation), they can be safely immunized with BCG at birth.

Breath methane excretion status in children with lactose malabsorption

We carried out a study to determine breath methane excretion status in relation to lactose absorption in children. The lactose absorption status of 125 children aged 1 to 12 years was defined using the hydrogen breath test using lactose test meal (2 g/kg, maximum 50 g). Lactose malabsorption was detected in 16.7 percent of children aged 1-2.9 years, the prevalence increasing with age to 39.5 percent of 3-5.9 year-olds and 88.5 years, the prevalence increasing with age to 39.5 percent of 3-5.9 year-olds and 88.5 percent of 6-8.9 years and reaching 91.7 percent 9-11.9 year-old children. We measured breath methane excretion status in 69 children (56 lactose-malabsorbers and 13 lactose-absorbers) and found significantly higher breath methane excretion in lactose-malabsorbers.

Breath methane analysis in the diagnosis of rice carbohydrate malabsorption

Rice carbohydrate malabsorption is common in Myanmar village children and adults. The diagnosis is dependent on the use of a rice breath hydrogen test which has potential limitations. As methane production has been identified in almost 20 percent of Myanmar children under age 5, it was possible that an increased carbohydrate load in the colon consequent upon rice malabsorption may provide increased substrate for methanogenic bacteria in the left colon. A rise in methane production might be reflected in fasting breath methane concentration and therefore simplify the diagnosis of rece malabsorption. 79 children had a rice breath hydrogen test with measurement of hydrogen over a four hour period allied with a breath methane measurement and anthropometric measurement. There was no correlation between rice malabsorption and methane production and the measurement of breath methane does not, therefore, correlate with the rice absorption status.