Early and late deconjugation of bile acids in disorders of the small intestine
De Groot, R.; van den Berg, J.W.; van Blankenstein, M.; Frenkel, M.; Hörchner, P.; Wilson, J.H.
Netherlands Journal of Medicine 19(6): 267-271
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-2977 PMID: 1004668 Document Number: 107764
Abnormal deconjugation of bile acids occurred in a number of disorders of the small intestine which were characterized either by stagnation of intestinal contents resulting in growth of anaerobic bacteria or by incomplete absorption of bile acids. This abnormal deconjugation may be detected by means of a breath test, in which the 14CO2 activity of expired air was measured after administration of a tracer dose of (I-14C-glyco) cholic acid. Patients (59), of whom 45 had an intestinal disorder, were examined. Two patterns of respiratory 14CO2 excretion were distinguished: an early maximum occurring within 4 h of administration of the test dose, and a late maximum occurring after the 4th h. Patients with bacterial overgrowth of the jejunum were found to have an early peak breath excretion of 14CO2, whereas patients with distal ileal dysfunction showed a late peak.