AB0034 INCREASED PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN AND METHANE SUGGESTED BACTERIAL OVERGROWTH IN THE SMALL INTESTINE IN PATIENTS WITH AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE DETECTED BY LACTULOSE BREATH TESTS

Background: Researchers have linked a species of intestinal bacteria to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. The lactulose breath test detects small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) can measure hydrogen and methane produced by intestinal bacteria. Objectives: To investigate the intestinal flora of patients with autoimmune diseases through a lactulose breath test. Methods: The study was conducted on 720 cases of autoimmune disease. The hydrogen value was increased by ≥20p.p.m and the methane value increased by ≥10p.p.m in 90 minutes was defined as positive for SIBO. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was used to determine the association between age and hydrogen values or methane values. Results: A total of 75% of patients had a positive breath test. Among them, the positive rate of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients was 69.4%, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) 69%, Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) 79.22%, ankylosing spondylitis (AS) 89.29%, and juvenile arthritis (JIA) 73.33%. In addition, patients with AS had significantly higher hydrogen value than that with RA, SLE, and SS (p Conclusion: Patients with autoimmune disease have positive bacterial growth in the small intestine, and hydrogen production is significantly increased in patients with AS, suggesting that hydrogen production in the small intestine may be related to inflammation. In addition, with increasing age of the female, hydrogen and methane produced in the small intestine may increase, with increasing age of the male, small intestine may reduce the production of hydrogen, suggesting a reason why there are more female patients than male in some autoimmune disease. References [1] Gislane Lelis Vilela de Oliveira, Aline Zazeri Leite, Bruna Stevanato Higuchi, Marina Ignacio Gonzaga, Vânia Sammartino Mariano.Intestinal dysbiosis and probiotic applications in autoimmune diseases. Immunology. 2017Sep; 152(1): 1–12.doi: 10.1111/imm.12765 [2] Maria C. Opazo, Elizabeth M. Ortega-Rocha, Irenice Coronado-Arrazola, Laura C. Bonifaz, Helene Boudin, Michel Neunlist, Susan M. Bueno, Alexis M. Kalergis, Claudia A. Riedel. Intestinal Microbiota Influences Non-intestinal Related Autoimmune Diseases. Front Microbiol. 2018;9:432.doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00432 Disclosure of Interests: None declared