Transient lactose malabsorption in patients affected by symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease of the colon.

Abstract

Lactose malabsorption (LM) may be secondary to several small bowel diseases, and small intestinal overgrowth (SIBO) may be one of them. We looked for a correlation between symptomatic diverticular disease of the colon and LM and assessed whether this correlation may be related to SIBO. Ninety consecutive patients (pts; 39 males, 51 females; mean age, 67.2 years; range, 32-91 years) affected by symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease of the colon were evaluated to assess orocecal transit time (OCTT), SIBO, and LM by lactulose and lactose H2 breath test (H2-BT) at entry and after 8 weeks of treatment. OCTT was delayed in 67 of 90 pts (74.44%). Fifty-three of 90 pts (58.88%) showed SIBO, and OCTT was normal in 23 of 90 pts (25.56%). LM was diagnosed in 59 of 90 pts (65.55%): 49 of 59 (71.74%) were simultaneously affected by SIBO and delayed OCTT (and thus 49 of 53 pts [92.45%] with delayed OCTT and SIBO were affected by LM); 3 of 59 pts (5.09%) showed only delayed OCTT; 7 of 59 pts (11.86%) did not show either SIBO or delayed OCTT. The association of LM and SIBO was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Seventy-nine of 86 pts (91.86%) showed normal OCTT, while OCTT remained prolonged but shorter in the remaining 7 pts (8.14%). SIBO was eradicated in all pts completing the study, while a new lactulose H2-BT showed persistence of SIBO in one pt with recurrence of symptomatic diverticular disease. Forty-seven of 59 pts (79.66%) had a normal lactose H2-BT (P < 0.002), while 12 of 59 pts (20.34%) showed persistence of LM. LM disappeared in 46 of 49 pts (93.88%) concurrently with normalization of OCTT and eradication of SIBO (P < 0.002); it also disappeared in 1 of 3 pts (33.33%) previously affected by delayed OCTT (without SIBO) and LM concurrently with normalization of OCTT. On the contrary, it persisted in all pts with normal OCTT and absence of SIBO. Moreover, it persisted also in the pt with recurrence of symptomatic diverticular disease and persistence of SIBO. In conclusion, most pts affected by symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease of the colon showed LM, and in more than 70% of cases it disappeared after successful treatment of the colonic disease.

• Authors: Antonio Tursi, Giovanni Brandimarte, Gian Marco Giorgetti, Walter Elisei
• Journal: Digestive diseases and sciences (Dig Dis Sci) Vol. 51 Issue 3 Pg. 461-5 (Mar 2006) ISSN: 0163-2116 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16614952 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Rifamycins
• Lactulose
• Mesalamine
• Rifaximin

Topics

• Adult
• Age Distribution
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Breath Tests
• Case-Control Studies
• Diverticulum, Colon (diagnosis, drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Female
• Gastrointestinal Transit (drug effects, physiology)
• Humans
• Lactose Intolerance (diagnosis, drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Lactulose (metabolism)
• Male
• Mesalamine (therapeutic use)
• Middle Aged
• Prevalence
• Prognosis
• Prospective Studies
• Reference Values
• Rifamycins (therapeutic use)
• Rifaximin
• Risk Assessment
• Severity of Illness Index
• Sex Distribution
• Treatment Outcome