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. 2000 Jan;46(1):73–77. doi: 10.1136/gut.46.1.73

In vivo measurement of colonic butyrate metabolism in patients with quiescent ulcerative colitis

E Simpson 1, M Chapman 1, J Dawson 1, D Berry 1, I Macdonald 1, A Cole 1
PMCID: PMC1727789  PMID: 10601058

Abstract

BACKGROUND—Butyrate, a short chain fatty acid produced by bacterial fermentation, is a major fuel source for the colonocyte. In vitro work has shown that ulcerative colitis may be characterised by a metabolic defect in colonocyte butyrate oxidation.
AIMS—To investigate the rate of metabolism of rectally administered butyrate in patients with quiescent colitis.
METHODS—[1-13C]-butyrate enemas were administered to 11 patients with long standing quiescent ulcerative colitis and to 10 control patients. The rate of production of 13CO2 in exhaled breath over four hours was measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry combined with indirect calorimetry in order to measure CO2 production. This allowed calculation of the patients' resting energy expenditure and respiratory quotient.
RESULTS—Over a four hour period, 325 (SEM 21) µmol 13CO2 was recovered in breath samples from the colitis group compared with 322 (17) µmol from the control group (NS). The respiratory quotient of the colitic group was significantly lower than that of the control group.
CONCLUSION—There was no difference in the rate of metabolism of butyrate between the two groups. It is unlikely that there is a primary metabolic defect of butyrate metabolism in patients with quiescent ulcerative colitis.


Keywords: ulcerative colitis; in vivo butyrate metabolism

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Figure 1  .

Figure 1  

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Resting energy expenditure (REE) over the duration of the study in patients with colitis and control subjects. *p<0.05.

Figure 2  .

Figure 2  

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Mean respiratory quotient (RQ) over time in patients with colitis and control subjects. Group × time, p<0.001 (group ANOVA).

Figure 3  .

Figure 3  

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13CO2 production per kJ of energy expenditure over the time course of the experiment. Group × time, p<0.05 (ANOVA).

Selected References

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