Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Diagnosed by a Breath Test and Improved by Rifaximin in a Patient with Hepatic Encephalopathy and Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis
Open Access
- 1 January 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Japanese Society of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine
- Vol. 59 (15), 1849-1853
- https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.4593-20
Abstract
A 66-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital with grade 2 hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Abdominal computed tomography and laboratory examinations revealed decompensated liver cirrhosis. Intravenous administration of branched-chain amino acids immediately ameliorated the HE, and lactulose was initiated. However, a breath test revealed small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO); therefore, rifaximin was additionally initiated. The breath test was repeated after discharge, when no evidence of SIBO or overt HE was identified. This case suggested that a breath test is effective for the identification of SIBO and that the administration of a poorly absorbed antibiotic should be considered in SIBO-positive HE patients taking lactulose.This publication has 30 references indexed in Scilit:
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