Clinical Trial: Effect of Diet on Intestinal Gas Production and Evacuation in Healthy Subjects and Flatulent Patients

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional



Official Title: Objective Markers Flatulence: Determination of Gas Production and Evacuation in Response to Dietary Manipulations

Brief Summary:

Background Some patients complain of excessive evacuation, which may become socially disabling (Azpiroz F & Malagelada J-R, 2005). However, there no systematic investigation on the range of gas evacuation in healthy subjects and in subjects complaining of flatulence under basal conditions and in response to a high-flatulogenic diet (Azpiroz F & Levitt DG, 2009).

Hypothesis Patients complaining of excessive passage of gas per anus have more intestinal gas production and more anal gas evacuation during basal conditions and in response to a high flatulogenic diet than healthy subjects. This abnormality is related to the differences in colonic microflora.

Objectives

  • To determine the normal range of intestinal gas evacuation under basal conditions and in response to a high flatulogenic diet.
  • In patients complaining of flatulence, to determine whether intestinal gas evacuation under basal conditions and in response to a high flatulogenic diet is increased.
  • To identify differences in the microbiota pattern in subjects with normal and excessive anal gas evacuation.
  • In patients complaining of flatulence, to determine the segmental distribution of intestinal gas after a diet challenge.

Methods Healthy subjects (n=20) and patients complaining of flatulence (n=30) will undergo a 3-day basal phase on their current diet and a 3-day challenge phase on a high-flatulogenic diet; patients will be followed-up for 7 days on a low-flatulogenic diet. The following g measurements will be performed: daily measurement of the number of anal gas passages with an event marker, continuous recording of an