Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Pouch Contents From Patients With and Without Pouchitis After Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis

Abstract Fecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids were markedly reduced in 6 patients with pouchitis (mean ± SE, 56.2 ± 13.3 mmol/L) compared with 28 patients without pouchitis (139.0 ± 8.5 mmol/L; P −3 ). The ratios of acetate to propionate to butyrate were not changed (pouchitis, 75:12:11%; normal pouches, 76:12:11%), i.e., all acids were equally reduced. The 24-hour production of total short-chain fatty acids in 16.6% fecal homogenates from patients with pouchitis was decreased (17.5 ± 5.3 mmol/L) compared with patients without pouchitis (33.3 ± 3.4 mmol/L; P