Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 22, 2025
Breath Collection from Children for Disease Biomarker Discovery
Published on: February 14, 2019
No Correlation between Positive Fructose Hydrogen Breath Test and Clinical Symptoms in Children with Functional
Jarosław Kwiecień1, Weronika Hajzler2, Klaudia Kosek3
1Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland.
Insights
Fructose malabsorption is common, but positive hydrogen breath tests (HBTs) in children with functional gastrointestinal disorders are linked to younger age, not specific symptoms. This finding clarifies the clinical significance of HBT results.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Clinical Nutrition
- Digestive Health
Background:
- Fructose malabsorption is a frequent sugar intolerance.
- The link between gastrointestinal symptoms and positive fructose hydrogen breath tests (HBTs) requires further clarification.
- Understanding the clinical relevance of HBT results is crucial for pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical significance of positive fructose HBTs in children.
- To correlate fructose HBT results with specific clinical features in pediatric patients.
- To investigate the association between fructose malabsorption and functional gastrointestinal symptoms in children.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 323 children (ages 2-18) with functional gastrointestinal disorders underwent fructose HBT.
- Clinical data and HBT results were collected and analyzed.
- Statistical analysis was performed to identify correlations between HBT outcomes and patient characteristics/symptoms.
Main Results:
- 114 out of 323 children (35.3%) tested positive for fructose malabsorption.
- Children with positive HBT results were significantly younger (mean age 9.0 years) than those with negative results (mean age 11.6 years).
- Recurrent abdominal pain was the most common symptom (89.5%) in children with positive HBTs, but no specific clinical feature correlated with positive test results.
Conclusions:
- Positive fructose HBT results in children with functional gastrointestinal disorders are primarily associated with younger age.
- The study found no correlation between positive fructose HBTs and specific clinical features or symptoms.
- The clinical interpretation of positive fructose HBTs in pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders should consider patient age.
Abstract:
Fructose malabsorption is regarded as one of the most common types of sugar intolerance. However, the correlation between gastrointestinal symptoms and positive results in fructose hydrogen breath tests (HBTs) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical importance of positive fructose HBT by correlating the HBT results with clinical features in children with various gastrointestinal symptoms. Clinical features and fructose HBT results were obtained from 323 consecutive children (2-18 years old, mean 10.7 ± 4.3 years) that were referred to the Tertiary Paediatric Gastroenterology Centre and diagnosed as having functional gastrointestinal disorders. A total of 114 out of 323 children (35.3%) had positive HBT results, of which 61 patients were females (53.5%) and 53 were males (46.5%). Children with positive HBT were significantly younger than children with negative HBT (9.0 vs. 11.6 years old; p < 0.001). The most frequent symptom among children with fructose malabsorption was recurrent abdominal pain (89.5%). Other important symptoms were diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and flatulence. However, no correlation between positive fructose HBT results and any of the reported symptoms or general clinical features was found. In conclusion, positive fructose HBT in children with functional gastrointestinal disorders can be attributed to their younger age but not to some peculiar clinical feature of the disease.
More Related Videos
10:29Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans
Published on: June 4, 2014
03:47Retinal and Choroidal Thickness Changes in Populations with Helicobacter pylori Infection by Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography
Published on: November 1, 2024
Related Concept Videos
01:30Serum Laboratory Studies, Stool Test, Breath Test
01:30Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is classified into subtypes based on the predominant bowel habits as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS). The subtypes are:
01:29Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease II: Clinical Features and Management
Clinical Manifestations
GERD presents itself in a multitude of ways, with symptoms varying from person to person. The hallmark symptoms are...
01:17Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System I: Subjective Data
Health History
The initial step in assessing the GI system is obtaining a comprehensive health history. This includes inquiring about the patient's history or presence of problems...
01:29Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System II: Health Perception Pattern
Health Perception Patterns
Health perception patterns offer valuable insights into a patient's lifestyle habits and how they may impact their GI health. These patterns include:
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...