Gut Microbiota in Health and Probiotics in Functional Bowel Disease / 이화의대지

Microorganisms coexist in the human body and its function is essential to maintain normal physiology and homeostasis. Microbiota refers to the entire population of microorganisms that colonizes a particular location; includes not just bacteria but also other microbes. Gut microbiota is vast and complex. It could be changed dynamically according to the variable factors. Well balanced host-microbial symbiotic state is a harmonious ecosystem in the stable individual. But, dysbiosis is a state of deviation in composition or function from the usual gut microbiota. It has been found that this condition is associated with many gastrointestinal, metabolic, allergic and the other diseases. Dysbiosis plays an important role in the pathophysiology of functional bowel disease, such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional constipation. Probiotics is microorganism which, when administrated in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Probiotics have beneficial effects to reduce several symptoms of functional bowel diseases. Currently, complementary and alternative medicine therapies with probiotics is recommended for symptomatic relief from functional bowel disease.

Constipação intestinal funcional / Functional intestinal constipation

São apresentados os aspectos clínicos da constipação intestinal funcional. O diagnóstico é baseado nos critérios descritos no Roma III. Atenção especial é dada aos sintomas de alarme e início abrupto a partir dos 50 anos de idade, porque doenças orgânicas podem estar presentes, sendo o câncer de colo a mais séria. O tratamento é dividido entre medidas dietéticas, comportamentais e agentes laxativos. A modificação mais importante no estilo de vida é a inclusão de fibras na dieta. Várias opções farmacológicas são discutidas, sendo de primeira escolha os laxantes formadores de massa ou polietilenoglicol.

Comparison of colonic transit time between patients with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome and functional constipation.

Background/Aim Functional constipation (FC) and constipation-predominant IBS (C-IBS) are two main subtypes of constipation. Using radio-opaque markers is an easy and cost effective method to measure colonic transit time (CTT). We designed this study to compare the CTT between these two groups of constipated patients. Methods Patients with chronic constipation of no organic etiology were classified as having FC or C-IBS according to the Rome II criteria. All patients ingested 10 radio opaque markers daily for six days. A plain abdominal X-ray was taken on the seventh day. To calculate the total and segmental colonic transit time in hours, number of markers in right and left colonic and rectosigmoid area were counted and multiplied by 2.4. The mean total and segmental colonic transit time were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 100 patients (50 FC and 50 C-IBS) were enrolled. The mean (SD) total CTT was not significantly different between FC patients (52.2 [35.5] h) and C-IBS patients (41.2 [31.6] h; p = 0.10). The mean rectosigmoid transit time was significantly slower in FC patients (19.9 [15.5] h) compared to C-IBS patients (11.9 [10.6] h; p = 0.003). Conclusion Rectosigmoid transit time in FC patients is slower than in C-IBS patients.

Lactose hydrogen breath test versus lactose tolerance test in the tropics: Does positive lactose tolerance test reflect more severe lactose malabsorption.

Background: We compared the lactose hydrogen breath (lactose HBT) and lactose tolerance tests (LTT) in their ability to diagnose lactose malabsorption (LM). Methods: Fasting and post-lactose (50 g) breath hydrogen and blood sugar were tested in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Persistent rise in breath hydrogen by 20 ppm and failure of blood sugar to rise by >20 mg/dL above basal level, were considered positive lactose HBT and LTT, respectively. Symptoms of diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain and flatulence were noted. Results: Of 203 patients, 11 demonstrated high basal breath hydrogen and hence, 192 (age 37±14 years, 134 male) were included in the study. 125 (65%) and 137 (71%) were lactose HBT and LTT positive, respectively. 102/125 lactose HBT positive patients were LTT positive and 35/67 lactose HBT negative patients were LTT positive. 62/192 (32%) developed symptoms following lactose ingestion, which tended to be more in the LTT positive (49/137, 36% vs. 13/55, 24% p=0.07) but not in the lactose HBT positive patients (44/125, 35% vs. 18/ 67, 27% p=0.2). Peak breath hydrogen was higher (38±37 vs. 66±43; p<0.01) in LTT positive than negative patients. Peak level of breath hydrogen inversely correlated (58±43 vs. 10±23; p<0.001) with change in blood glucose following lactose ingestion. Conclusions: Positive LTT is associated with a higher breath hydrogen score than negative LTT. There was a trend towards more frequent symptom development following lactose load in LTT positive but not in lactose HBT positive patients. LTT is an easy and efficient test for diagnosis of LM.

Constipação intestinal funcional / Functional intestinal constipation

São apresentados os aspectos clínicos da constipação intestinal funcional. O diagnóstico é baseado nos critérios descritos no Roma III. Atenção especial é dada aos sintomas de alarme e início abrupto a partir dos 50 anos de idade, porque doenças orgânicas podem estar presentes, sendo o câncer de colo a mais séria. O tratamento é dividido entre medidas dietéticas, comportamentais e agentes laxativos. A modificação mais importante no estilo de vida é a inclusão de fibras na dieta. Várias opções farmacológicas são discutidas, sendo de primeira escolha os laxantes formadores de massa ou polietilenoglicol.