@article{10.1371/journal.pone.0180835, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0180835}, author = {Melchior, Chloé AND Gourcerol, Guillaume AND Bridoux, Valérie AND Ducrotté, Philippe AND Quinton, Jean-François AND Leroi, Anne-Marie}, journal = {PLOS ONE}, publisher = {Public Library of Science}, title = {Efficacy of antibiotherapy for treating flatus incontinence associated with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: A pilot randomized trial}, year = {2017}, month = {08}, volume = {12}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0180835}, pages = {1-10}, abstract = {Aim An increase in intestinal gas production due to small intestinal bowel overgrowth (SIBO) is a contributing factor for flatus incontinence. The aims of our study were to assess the efficacy of metronidazole in a select population of patients with flatus incontinence associated with SIBO and to compare its efficacy with that of a combination of simethicone and activated charcoal (SC; Carbosylane) in randomized experimental arms. Methods Adult patients suffering from flatus incontinence associated with SIBO diagnosed by a glucose breath test were enrolled in the study. They were given metronidazole or Carbosylane (SC) for 10 days. The reduction in the mean daily number of gas leakages reported in a 3-day diary before and at the end of the treatment was used as the primary endpoint. Results Of 52 consecutive subjects with flatus incontinence, 23 (44%) had SIBO, 16 (33%) of whom were included in and completed the study. The relative reduction in flatus incontinence episodes was significantly higher in the metronidazole than in the SC group (66.8±34.8% vs. 25±50%, P = 0.03), decreasing by more than 50% in 7 (87.5%) of the subjects in the metronidazole group compared with only 1 (12.5%) in the SC group (odds ratio 1.9, 95% confidence interval 0.9–56.9, P = 0.06). Conclusion Our results show a promising trend indicating that metronidazole might significantly improve flatus incontinence associated with SIBO and might be more successful in treating flatus incontinence than gas absorbents.}, number = {8}, }