Examination of usefulness of breath hydrogen gas measurement in preterm birth risk assessment.

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K16825
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: Akita University
• Principal Investigator: Miura Hiroshi 秋田大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (80375302)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 早産予知 / 呼気水素ガス測定 / 腸管内細菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Oral administration of saturated hydrogen water to five non-pregnant women revealed that both breath hydrogen concentration and blood hydrogen concentration were correlated. Next, the accuracy of the portable breath hydrogen gas measuring device was verified. The expired hydrogen gas of pregnant women after eating was evaluated over time by both a portable measuring instrument and gas chromatography (GC). Although it was confirmed that there was a correlation between the two, variations were seen at a relatively high concentration of exhaled hydrogen.
A pregnant woman was loaded with lactose, and exhaled hydrogen gas was measured. The exhaled hydrogen concentration increased 3 hours after the lactose load in the control group compared to when fasted, but 1 out of 3 pregnant women who had a preterm birth included a case which the exhaled hydrogen gas concentration did not increase before and after the lactose load. The result suggests a difference in hydrogen production capacity.

Free Research Field

周産期医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

切迫早産妊婦に乳糖負荷を行い呼気水素ガス測定を行うことで、腸管内の水素産生能の違いから、早産に至る群の呼気水素濃度が低くなる可能性が示唆された。
呼気中水素測定は、迅速、非侵襲的、簡便であるため臨床導入が速やかであり、迅速な普及が可能である。本研究によって、妊婦に負担が少ない早産予知のスクリーニングが可能となる可能性が示唆された。