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Breath Methane Does Not Correlate With Constipation Severity or Bloating in Patients With Constipation
Prashant Singh1, Sarah Duehren, Jesse Katon
1Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA.
Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
|July 16, 2019
Summary
Breath methane levels on glucose breath testing (GBT) did not correlate with constipation severity. However, higher baseline methane levels (≥10 and ≥20 ppm) were significantly associated with constipation.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Microbiome research
- Breath analysis
Background:
- Methane-producing microbes are linked to gastrointestinal disorders.
- Previous studies suggest a correlation between breath methane and constipation, but recent findings are conflicting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between breath methane levels during glucose breath testing (GBT) and constipation severity.
- To compare methane levels in patients with constipation versus diarrhea.
Main Methods:
- Consecutive patients undergoing GBT at a gastroenterology motility lab were enrolled.
- Methane levels were measured after a 75g glucose load.
- Constipation and IBS severity were assessed using PAC-SYM and IBS-SSS scales.
Main Results:
- No significant correlation was found between baseline or maximum methane levels and overall constipation severity (PAC-SYM) or IBS severity (IBS-SSS).
- Methane levels of ≥3 and 5 ppm were equally prevalent in constipated and diarrheal patient groups.
- Only higher baseline methane levels (≥10 and ≥20 ppm) showed a significant correlation with constipation.
Conclusions:
- Constipation and bloating severity are not consistently correlated with methane levels detected via GBT.
- Elevated baseline methane levels (≥10 and ≥20 ppm) are specifically associated with constipation, unlike lower levels which are common in both constipation and diarrhea.
- Baseline methane measurements appear more indicative of constipation than peak methane levels during GBT.
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