Table 3.

Concentrations of hydrogen, methane, and ammonia in exhaled air in different time intervals of the hydrogen–methane and ammonia tests in healthy people (Group I, n = 40) and in patients with functional constipation (Group II, n = 40); average ± SD, differences between groups were assessed by the Student’s t-test.

Ions (Time, min)	Group I (ppm)	Group II (ppm)	p-Value	Θ
Hydrogen (0)	6.75 ± 2.1	14.77 ± 5.7	<0.001	0.75
Hydrogen (90)	23.07 ± 5.7	29.80 ± 9.7	<0.001	0.35
Hydrogen (150)	93.45 ± 19.9	99.15 ± 14.9	0.18	n/a
Methane (0)	4.72 ± 1.6	4.72 ± 1.3	0.94	n/a
Methane (90)	4.57 ± 1.1	5.25 ± 1.2	0.01	0.28
Methane (150)	12.07 ± 4.1	15.40 ± 5.7	0.007	0.3
Ammonia(0)	4.12 ± 1.0	4.26 ± 1.0	0.67	n/a
Ammonia (90)	5.37 ± 0.9	5.27 ± 1.0	0.52	n/a
Ammonia (150)	8.92 ± 2.0	8.94 ± 1.7	0.96	n/a

n/a not available.