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[Lactose malabsorption diagnosis with H2 breath test]
A Sevá-Pereira1, R de C da Silva, R A Pereira-Filho
1Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas-UNICAMP. adriseva@turing.unicamp.br
Arquivos De Gastroenterologia
|October 8, 1999
Summary
The area under the curve of expired hydrogen (ASC-H2) after a lactose overload test reliably diagnoses lactose malabsorption. Measuring the maximum increase in expired hydrogen (delta-H2) is not a reliable diagnostic method.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Clinical Diagnostics
- Biochemistry
Context:
- Lactose malabsorption is a common condition affecting gastrointestinal health.
- Accurate diagnostic methods are crucial for effective patient management.
- Breath hydrogen testing is a widely used, non-invasive diagnostic tool.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the diagnostic reliability of different metrics derived from breath hydrogen testing for lactose malabsorption.
- To compare the accuracy of the maximum increase in expired hydrogen (delta-H2) versus the area under the curve (ASC-H2) in diagnosing lactose malabsorption.
Summary:
- This study assessed 105 subjects undergoing a lactose overload test, measuring expired hydrogen and blood glucose.
- Results indicate that the area under the curve of expired hydrogen (ASC-H2) significantly correlates with blood glucose changes, unlike the maximum increase (delta-H2).
- Optimal cutoff values for ASC-H2 were determined using linear regression, ROC curves, and Q-Q plots, demonstrating high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy.
Impact:
- The findings suggest that ASC-H2 calculation is a reliable method for diagnosing lactose malabsorption in clinical practice.
- This study provides validated cutoff values for ASC-H2, enhancing the diagnostic precision of breath hydrogen testing.
- The research highlights the limitations of using delta-H2 for diagnosing lactose malabsorption, guiding clinicians towards more accurate diagnostic approaches.