Bacterial overgrowth in the elderly

Elderly patients often present at geriatric departments with weightloss,
chronic diarrhea, cachexia and abdominal pain. Oftenly signs of malnourishment
are found during physical examination, laboratory work up (vitamins) or by
means of the mini nutritional assessment (MNA). There are many possible causes
for undernourishment in the elderly.
Bacterial overgrowth in the digestive tract, especially in the stomach and the
duodenum can cause the complaints of weight loss, chronic diarrhea, cachexia
and abdominal pain.
Certain factors probably predispose to bacterial overgrowth. These are slow
motility, diverticulosis, atrophic gastritis and certain drugs (PPI). In the
elderly these risk factors ocur frequently. Nevertheless bacterial overgrowth
in the digestive tract rarely is considered in the differential diagnosis.
It is important to know the prevalence of bacterial overgrowth in the elderly.
Treatment of bacterial overgrowth can consist of antibiotics and is easy to
perform.

1. To invest the prevalence of bacterial overgrowth in the elderly who undergo
an diagnostic gastroscopy.

2. After investigating the number of microorganisms in the aspirate the
probable correlation will be established between the complaints of the patient
and bacterial overgrowth.

3.To invest if it is usefull to consider bacterial overgrowth as a possible
diagnosis.

4. To recognise the risk factors for bacterial overgrowth

5. Is bacterial overgrowth mainly caused by certain species, and if so which of
the bacteries is existing the most in the aspirat?

6. small bowel bacterial overgrowth as a diagnostic consideration?

We would like to invest the prevalence of bacterial overgrowth in patients with
gastric and/or bowel complaints who undergo a diagnostic gastroscopy.
With investigation in the patients file we try to find a correlation between
complaints of the patient and possible bacterial overgrowth.
Riskfactors will be investigated.

There is no extra risk