Question

A 25 year-old woman complains of bloating, abdominal cramps, and loose stools with flatulence. Her symptoms seem to occur 1-2 hours after meals containing any dairy products. Which of the following would be the most appropriate diagnostic test to confirm your suspicion? A. Colonoscopy B. Fecal smear for leukocytes C. Hydrogen breath test D. Serum IgA endomysial antibody

Answer 1

For this patient, the best test to confirm the suspected diagnosis would be a hydrogen breath test, which measures the hydrogen and methane levels in the breath to detect the presence of lactose intolerance.


A colonoscopy is a very invasive procedure and would not be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. A fecal smear for leukocytes and serum IgA endomysial antibody test are used to confirm a diagnosis of celiac disease, which is a different condition and may not be present in this patient.