[Abdominal pain in children caused by lactose intolerance. Prospective use of the hydrogen breath test].

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

We performed the breath hydrogen test in children consulting for abdominal pain in order to determine the minimal quantity of lactose required to prove malabsorption with least patient incomfort and to evaluate the effect of an adapted diet in children with a positive test.

METHODS:

The breath hydrogen test after lactose intake was performed in 109 children (51 boys, 58 girls, mean age 8.2 + 3.2 years, range 3 to 15) seen for unexplained abdominal pain. All these children had complained of abdominal pain daily for at least 6 months and no other cause could be identified. Children with acute or chronic diarrhoea or constipation were excluded. Nineteen children had been transferred from the surgery unit and 6 had been followed by the psychiatry unit. All these children drank milk regularly.

RESULTS:

The diagnosis of lactose intolerance was established in 83 children (76.1%) on the basis of a hydrogen peak in the breath after lactose ingestion. One-fourth of the children were of French origin and the others had at least one grandparent who was of Mediterranean or African origin. A lactose-free diet was proposed and led to the disappearance of abdominal pain in 24% and a clear improvement in 32%.

CONCLUSION:

The breath hydrogen test is a simple non-invasive test which allows a selection of children who could benefit from a lactose-free diet although it cannot be used to predict the effect of diet.

• Authors: M Chaussain, K Kheddari, R Roche, B Giusti, F Habib, J Badoual, C Dupont, D Gendrel
• Journal: Presse medicale (Paris, France : 1983) (Presse Med) Vol. 23 Issue 19 Pg. 881-5 (May 21 1994) ISSN: 0755-4982 [Print] France
• Vernacular Title: Douleurs abdominales de l'enfant par intolérance au lactose. Utilisation prospective du test respiratoire à l'hydrogène.
• PMID: 7937616 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Hydrogen

Topics

• Abdominal Pain (etiology)
• Adolescent
• Breath Tests (methods)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Humans
• Hydrogen
• Lactose Intolerance (complications, diagnosis, diet therapy)
• Male
• Monitoring, Physiologic
• Predictive Value of Tests
• Prospective Studies