Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Practice Guideline
. 2020 Feb;115(2):165-178.
doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000000501.

ACG Clinical Guideline: Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

Mark Pimentel  1 , Richard J Saad  2 , Millie D Long  3 , Satish S C Rao  4
Affiliations
Practice Guideline

ACG Clinical Guideline: Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

Mark Pimentel et al. Am J Gastroenterol. 2020 Feb.

Abstract

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is defined as the presence of excessive numbers of bacteria in the small bowel, causing gastrointestinal symptoms. This guideline statement evaluates criteria for diagnosis, defines the optimal methods for diagnostic testing, and summarizes treatment options for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. This guideline provides an evidence-based evaluation of the literature through the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) process. In instances where the available evidence was not appropriate for a formal GRADE recommendation, key concepts were developed using expert consensus.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Sachdev AH, Pimentel M. Antibiotics for irritable bowel syndrome: Rationale and current evidence. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 2012;14:439–45.
    1. Turnbaugh PJ, Ley RE, Hamady M, et al. The human microbiome project. Nature 2007;449:804–10.
    1. Pimentel M. The prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in irritable bowel syndrome: IBS vs healthy controls (not historical definitions). Gut 2008;57:1334–5.
    1. Majewski M, McCallum RW. Results of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth testing in irritable bowel syndrome patients: Clinical profiles and effects of antibiotic trial. Adv Med Sci 2007;52:139–42.
    1. Shah A, Morrison M, Burger D, et al. Systematic review with meta-analysis: The prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in inflammatory bowel disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2019;49:624–35.

Publication types