SynthesisDigestive diseases and sciences2011
Methane on breath testing is associated with constipation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Digestive diseases and sciences, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03763175 (Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of Single, Daily Oral Doses of SYN-010 Compared to Placebo in Adult Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Constipation), which is not on this map. Cited by 87 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of Single, Daily Oral Doses of SYN-010 Compared to Placebo in Adult Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Constipation (EASE-DO)
Who cites it
87 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 212 citations in OpenAlex.
- Clinical features and risk factors for colorectal gas explosion during digestive endoscopy and surgery: a systematic review.Surgical endoscopy · 2025Pooled it
- Indian consensus statements on irritable bowel syndrome in adults: A guideline by the Indian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association and jointly supported by the Indian Society of Gastroenterology.Indian journal of gastroenterology : official journal of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology · 2023Guideline
- Determining the association between fibromyalgia, the gut microbiome and its biomarkers: A systematic review.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2020Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Prebiotic Galacto-Oligosaccharides Impact Stool Frequency and Fecal Microbiota in Self-Reported Constipated Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Nutrients · 2022Trial
- A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial showing rifaximin to improve constipation by reducing methane production and accelerating colon transit: A pilot study.Indian journal of gastroenterology : official journal of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology · 2018Trial
- Microbiota stability in healthy individuals after single-dose lactulose challenge-A randomized controlled study.PloS one · 2018Trial
- Antibiotic treatment of constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.Digestive diseases and sciences · 2014Trial
- Intestinal gases as markers to study the diet-gut microbiota-host metabolism axis in humans and their relationship to metabolic health.Gut microbes · 2026Review
- Review
- Do Multi-Omics Approaches Improve the Diagnosis of Microbial Overgrowth Syndromes?Current gastroenterology reports · 2026Review
- Article
- Hydrogen and Methane Breath Test: The Asian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association Monograph.Journal of neurogastroenterology and motility · 2026Review
- Ileal bile acid transporter inhibitors for chronic constipation in the elderly.World journal of gastrointestinal pharmacology and therapeutics · 2026Article
- Unraveling the Complexities of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Review
- Small intestinal microbiome, the underrated maestro of SIMO disease.FEMS microbiology reviews · 2026Review
- The microbiota-gut-brain axis perspective: mechanisms and intervention strategies for the comorbidity of chronic constipation and depression.Frontiers in microbiology · 2026Review
- The gut methanotroph Methylocystis intestini modulates intestinal peristalsis and fat metabolism via reducing methane levels.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Intestinal methanogen overgrowth and its impact on gastrointestinal disorders in children: a retrospective study.BMC gastroenterology · 2025Article
- Modern concepts of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.Current opinion in gastroenterology · 2025Review
27 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundA growing body of literature suggests an association between methane and constipation. Studies also link degree of methane production to severity of constipation and have shown constipation is improved following antibiotics.
aimsWe aim to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the cumulative evidence regarding the association between methane and constipation.
methodsA literature search was performed using MEDLINE and Embase to identify studies where the presence (or absence) of methane was assessed in constipated subjects. Search terms included "methane," "breath test," "constipation," "motility," "transit," "irritable bowel syndrome" and/or "IBS." Pooled odds ratios were generated using a random effects model. In a separate analysis, studies that measured intestinal transit in methane and non-methane subjects were systematically reviewed.
resultsNine studies met inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. Among these, 1,277 subjects were examined by breath testing (N = 319 methane producers and N = 958 methane non-producers). Pooling all studies, a significant association was found between methane on breath test and constipation (OR = 3.51, CI = 2.00-6.16). Among adults only, methane was significantly associated with constipation (OR = 3.47, CI = 1.84-6.54). Similar results were seen when only examining subjects with IBS (OR = 3.60, CI = 1.61-8.06). The systematic review identified eight additional papers which all demonstrated an association between methane and delayed transit.
conclusionsWe demonstrate that methane present on breath testing is significantly associated with constipation in both IBS and functional constipation. These results suggest there may be merit in using breath testing in constipation. Moreover, methane may be used to identify candidates for antibiotic treatment of constipation.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.