Breath Methane Levels Are Increased Among Patients with Diverticulosis

• Published in: Digestive diseases and sciences Vol. 61; no. 9; pp. 2648 - 2654
• Main Authors: Yazici, Cemal, Arslan, Deniz Cagil, Abraham, Rana, Cushing, Kelly, Keshavarzian, Ali, Mutlu, Ece A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.09.2016; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Age Factors; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; Archaea; Biochemistry; Breath Tests; Case-Control Studies; Celiac Disease - epidemiology; Colonoscopy; Constipation - epidemiology; Diverticulosis; Diverticulum - diagnosis; Diverticulum - epidemiology; Diverticulum - metabolism; Female; Gastroenterology; Hepatology; Humans; Hydrogen; Hypertension - drug therapy; Hypertension - epidemiology; Logistic Models; Male; Medical centers; Medical records; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Methane; Methane - metabolism; Middle Aged; Oncology; Original Article; Pneumoviridae; Retrospective Studies; Rheumatic Diseases - epidemiology; Transplant Surgery; Breath methane level; Diverticulosis; Methanogenic archaea; Methanogenesis
• ISSN: 0163-2116; 1573-2568
• DOI: 10.1007/s10620-016-4174-6

Background Diverticulosis and its complications are important healthcare problems in the USA and throughout the Western world. While mechanisms as to how diverticulosis occurs have partially been explored, few studies examined the relationship between colonic gases such as methane and diverticulosis in humans. Aim This study aimed to demonstrate a significant relationship between methanogenic Archaea and development of diverticulosis. Methods Subjects who consecutively underwent hydrogen breath test at Rush University Medical Center between 2003 and 2010 were identified retrospectively through a database. Medical records were reviewed for presence of a colonoscopy report. Two hundred and sixty-four subjects were identified who had both a breath methane level measurement and a colonoscopy result. Additional demographic and clinical data were obtained with chart review. Results Mean breath methane levels were higher in subjects with diverticulosis compared to those without diverticulosis (7.89 vs. 4.94 ppm, p  = 0.04). Methane producers (defined as those with baseline fasting breath methane level >5 ppm) were more frequent among subjects with diverticulosis compared to those without diverticulosis (50.9 vs. 34 %, p  = 0.0025). When adjusted for confounders, breath methane levels and age were the two independent predictors of diverticulosis on colonoscopy with logistic regression modeling. Conclusions Methanogenesis is associated with the presence of diverticulosis. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings and prospectively evaluate a possible etiological role of methanogenesis and methanogenic archaea in diverticulosis.