Fasting breath hydrogen concentration: normal values and clinical application

Excretion of hydrogen in breath commonly persists despite an overnight fast. Although elevation of hydrogen concentration above the fasting value after administration of a test sugar is evidence of malabsorption, the significance of the fasting value itself is unknown. We determined the normal limits of fasting breath hydrogen in healthy children and adults, and in patients with chronic diarrhea or recurrent abdominal pain. Fasting breath hydrogen in 221 healthy children and 9 healthy adults averaged 7.1 +/- 5.0 parts per million (mean +/- SD), exceeding 30 parts per million in less than 1%. No value exceed 42 parts per million. In 73 patients with recurrent abdominal pain and 76 patients with chronic diarrhea, fasting breath hydrogen was less than 42 parts per million in 97% and 83%, respectively. History and laboratory data were reviewed in the 15 patients where fasting breath hydrogen exceeded 42 parts per million. Seven had documented small bowel bacterial overgrowth and an additional 3 patients had radiographic evidence of intestinal stasis. Using test dinner meals, we prospectively evaluated the effect of previously ingested foods containing complex carbohydrates on fasting breath hydrogen. Dinner meals consisting of rice, wheat, or beans influenced fasting breath hydrogen values, but did not result in elevated fasting breath hydrogen in healthy individuals. Rice bread resulted in uniformly low fasting breath hydrogen values in healthy subjects (2.0 +/- 2.5 parts per million), but fasting breath hydrogen remained elevated in patients with bacterial overgrowth. Our studies indicate that conditions for measurement of the fasting breath hydrogen value may be standardized to improve discrimination between normal and abnormal values.