Evaluation of intestinal carbohydrate malabsorption in the dog by pulmonary hydrogen gas excretion

Breath H2 was measured for the assessment of intestinal carbohydrate absorption in healthy, fasted dogs before and after the ingestion of carbohydrate test meals. The dogs were fed lactulose, xylose, glucose, a hypoallergenic diet, or the hypoallergenic diet supplemented with rice, corn, or wheat flour. Breath samples for H2 analysis were collected by an interval-sampling technique during tidal breathing and were analyzed by thermal conductivity gas chromatography. Pulmonary H2 excretion in fasted dogs never exceeded 1 part per million (molecules of H2 per 10(6) molecules of air). Breath H2 excretion after the ingestion of 12.5 g of glucose, a completely absorbed monosaccharide, was not significantly different (P greater than 0.05) from that during fasting; however, ingestion of 12.5 g of xylose, an incompletely absorbed pentose, significantly increased (P less than 0.001) breath H2 excretion. After ingestion of 12.5, 25, or 50 g of lactulose, a nonabsorbable disaccharide, pulmonary H2 excretion increased significantly (P less than 0.001) over fasting amounts and the increases were different (P less than 0.001) from one another. Increases in breath H2 excretion correlated (r = 0.97) with increases in lactulose dose. Breath H2 excretion after the ingestion of the hypoallergenic diet did not significantly (P greater than 0.05) differ from that after fasting. The addition of rice flour to this diet did not significantly (P greater than 0.05) increase H2 production. However, the addition of wheat or corn flour to this diet significantly (P less than 0.001) increased breath H2 excretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)