Blind Loop Syndrome

Blind loop syndrome is a disease condition, where normal bacterias or microbes of small intestine start growing in such an uncontrolled manner that it goes in abundance and causes significan dearrangements in our physiological syatem, and thus also called as bacterial overgrowth syndrome.

It is mainly characterized by abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetitie and unintentional weight loss. These are common symptoms associated with many diseases but in case problem persists for a longer time then you must see a doctor.

The fundamental process causing all diarrheal diseases is incomplete absorption of water from intestinal luminal contents. Water itself is not actively transported across the intestinal mucosa but moves across secondary to osmotic forces generated by the transport of solutes, such as electrolytes and nutrients. Normally, absorption and secretion take place simultaneously, but absorption is quantitatively greater. Either a decrease in absorption or an increase in secretion leads to additional water within the lumen and diarrhea. Excess stool water then causes decreased stool consistency. Blind loop syndrome is associated with abdominal surgery also, and there researches and prevention techniques are under evaluation for this particular case.

According to a transversal study included 85 children residing in a slum and 43 children from a private school, all aged between 6 and 10 years, in Osasco, Brazil. For characterization of the groups, data regarding the socioeconomic status and basic housing sanitary conditions were collected. Anthropometric data was obtained in children from both groups. All children completed the hydrogen (H(2)) and methane (CH(4)) breath test in order to assess small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). SIBO was diagnosed when there was an increase in H(2) ≥ 20 ppm or CH(4) ≥ 10 ppm with regard to the fasting value until 60 min after lactulose ingestion.Children from the slum group had worse living conditions and lower nutritional indices than children from the private school. SIBO was found in 30.9% (26/84) of the children from the slum group and in 2.4% (1/41) from the private school group (P = 0.0007). Greater hydrogen production in the small intestine was observed in children from the slum group when compared to children from the private school (P = 0.007). A higher concentration of hydrogen in the small intestine (P < 0.001) and in the colon (P < 0.001) was observed among the children from the slum group with SIBO when compared to children from the slum group without SIBO. Methane production was observed in 63.1% (53/84) of the children from the slum group and in 19.5% (8/41) of the children from the private school group (P < 0.0001). Methane production was observed in 38/58 (65.5%) of the children without SIBO and in 15/26 (57.7%) of the children with SIBO from the slum. Colonic production of hydrogen was lower in methane-producing children (P = 0.017).