15 April 2011
Gabrielli M, Bonazzi P,
Scarpellini E, Bendia E, Lauritano EC, Fasano A, Ceravolo MG, Capecci M, Rita
Bentivoglio A, Provinciali L, Tonali PA, Gasbarrini A
Background: Parkinson's
disease (PD) is associated with gastrointestinal motility abnormalities
that could favor the occurrence of small intestinal bacterial
overgrowth. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of small
intestinal bacterial overgrowth in PD patients.
Methods: Consecutive
PD patients were enrolled. The controls were subjects without PD. All
patients and controls underwent the glucose breath test to assess small
intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
Results: Forty-eight
PD patients and 36 controls were enrolled. The prevalence of small
intestinal bacterial overgrowth was significantly higher in PD patients
than in controls (54.17% vs 8.33%; P < .0001; OR, 2.24; 95%
CI, 3.50–48.24). Multivariate analysis showed Hoehn and Yahr stage (OR,
3.07; 95% CI, 1.14–8.27) and Unified PD Rating score (OR, 1.12; 95% CI,
1.02–1.23) were significantly associated with small intestinal bacterial
overgrowth in PD patients.
Conclusions: Small
intestinal bacterial overgrowth is highly prevalent in PD.
Gastrointestinal motility abnormalities might explain this association
