Using the noninvasive (13)C-sucrose breath test to measure intestinal sucrase activity in swine

The sucrose breath test (SBT) is a simple noninvasive technique used currently to determine intestinal absorptive function in humans and rodents. However, to date, the test has not been adapted for use in swine. During weaning, intestinal sucrase activity in piglets temporarily declines in response to stressors and is commonly used as a marker of the intestinal response to weaning. Here we assessed the sucrose dose needed for using the SBT in piglets. Six randomly allocated piglets were orogastrically gavaged with (13)C-labeled sucrose at a dose of 2 g/kg; breath samples were collected for measurement of (13)CO2 on days 0 (approximately 17 h after weaning), 5, and 10 after weaning. The resultant SBT value (cumulative dose at 90 min) was decreased by 46% on day 5 after weaning relative to baseline levels, consistent with temporal changes in gastrointestinal sucrase activity associated with weaning. We conclude that a sucrose dose of 2 g/kg is satisfactory to conduct SBT studies in piglets. With further development, the SBT may provide a new tool to noninvasively monitor digestive function in weaned piglets, to assess the effects of nutritional strategies on intestinal health, and as an indicator of gut integrity and function in swine models of human gastrointestinal disease.