A Simple Method of Measuring Breath Hydrogen in Carbohydrate Malabsorption by End-Expiratory Sampling

1. A simple method is described for measuring the hydrogen concentration in alveolar air by end-expiratory sampling, by using a modified Haldane—Priestley tube and gas chromatography. Hydrogen was generated in vivo by ingestion of the non-absorbable sugar lactulose.

2. Alveolar hydrogen concentration showed a highly significant correlation with hydrogen production measured either by a rebreathing technique or by a total collection procedure.

3. The coefficient of variation of the end-expiratory method, assessed by comparing sixty-one paired results, was 11·6%. The coefficient of variation in ten measurements in one subject at 1 min intervals was 17·6%.