Source
Division of Gastroenterology, Davis School of Medicine, University of California, USA. nirmal.mann@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
Abstract
GOALS:
To measure bloating score, flatus passage, and hydrogen production after oral fructose in patients with history of fruit intolerance and compare these parameters with those in normal controls.
BACKGROUND:
Some patients complain of abdominal distention and excessive flatus after ingesting certain fruits such as mango, persimmon, and grapes but not after eating apricots and melon.
STUDY:
We recorded breath hydrogen, flatus passage and bloating after 20 g fructose in 8 patients with history of fruit intolerance and 4 healthy controls. Breath hydrogen was measured every 15 minutes for 480 minutes using EC-60 gastrolyzer. Number of passage of flatus was recorded over 8 hours. Severity of abdominal distention on a scale of 1 to 10 was noted.
RESULTS:
The patients with fruit intolerance produced breath hydrogen 1745.2+/-7.8 parts per million, passed flatus 13.8+/-0.3 times, and had bloating score of 5.7+/-0.1. The healthy controls produced breath hydrogen 712.5+/-5.8 parts per million in 8 hours, passed flatus 7.2+/-0.5 time, and had bloating score of 2.7+/-0.2.
CONCLUSIONS:
After 20 g fructose, patients with history of fruit intolerance produce more breath hydrogen, pass flatus more frequently, and have a higher bloating score compared with healthy controls.