JP3525157B2 - Intestinal gas component measurement method and flatus detection method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring odorous components contained in intestinal gas (flat, Flatus) emitted from human anus, and particularly characterized by sampling timing. Regarding It also relates to those that detect the fact of flatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, although techniques for urine and blood have been highly developed in the field of clinical examination,
Gas samples emanating from the human body such as burp or intestinal gas (fart, fart) have not been used in the clinical examination field at all. This is because handling of intestinal gas and the like is extremely troublesome unlike liquid samples, and its importance is not fully recognized.

However, basic research has been conducted on exhaled air and intestinal gas, although a little, but it has been found that more than 200 kinds of components are contained in each body as a result of various reactions in the human body. I know. However, at this stage, there is no convenient inspection device and no inspection method has been established, so it is still within the scope of academic research.

By the way, regarding exhaled breath, since gas exchange of blood is performed in the lungs, exhaled breath can be regarded as a complementary sample of blood. However, intestinal gas is the bacteria (intestinal bacteria) inhabiting the intestine. Because it contains products, it may provide information about the human body that is different from urine and blood. That is, the origin of the odor of fart (dissipated intestinal gas) that is often used as an example of odors is spoilage gas such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, indole, and skatole, and the bacteria (so-called bad bacteria) that produce these are Naturally, many other harmful non-volatile components are also produced, and it is not difficult to imagine that these are absorbed from the intestines and have a bad effect on the human body. Recently, it is said that these bad bacteria cause adult diseases. However, it is said that there are 100 species and 100 trillion bacterial groups in the intestine, but their functions are quite diverse, and there are still many unclear points.

[0005]

On the other hand, since farts are often used as an example of elusive ones, their collection is extremely difficult. This is because the release of intestinal gas cannot be controlled and, if released, immediately diffuses into the air. Further, since the odorous component in the intestinal gas is a trace amount and is diluted with air, the concentration is extremely low, and it is difficult to accurately quantify the odorous component in the sample collected with a small and lightweight device. Moreover, the degree of dilution cannot be grasped, and accurate measurement of the concentration of odorous components is almost impossible.

[0006]

The inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, and as a result, have noticed that detectable gas is contained as a main component of intestinal gas. The invention was completed. That is, this component gas is adopted as an index gas, and when the index gas is detected, it is recognized that there is emission of intestinal gas and the sampling is started, and the odor We have developed a technique to estimate the concentration of components. In addition, we have developed a compact, lightweight intestinal gas component measuring device with high detection sensitivity for use in the analysis of intestinal gas. In addition, the fact of flatus is detected by utilizing the fact that the intestinal gas is released when the index gas is detected.

The components of intestinal gas vary greatly depending on individual differences and physical conditions, but roughly 23 to 80% nitrogen, 0.1 to 2.3% oxygen, 5.1 to 29% carbon dioxide, and methane. 0.1-
It is said that it is about 26% and hydrogen is about 0.06 to 47%. The odorous component is less than 1% in total, and in addition to odorous gases caused by bad bacteria such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, indole, and skatole, acetic acid produced by good bacteria such as Bifidobacterium is included. ing.

Of the main components of the intestinal gas, carbon dioxide gas, methane or hydrogen is used as the index gas. However, since methane and hydrogen have large variations in content ratio, carbon dioxide gas is most preferable. Moreover, since carbon dioxide has a large absorption of infrared rays, it can be easily detected by a small detector (densitometer) using infrared rays, and its concentration can be measured. However, although the carbon dioxide concentration is for the ambient atmosphere gas (intestinal gas diluted with air), it is relatively narrow within the intestinal gas (about 5 to 30).
%), It is possible to obtain an approximate dilution ratio. Then, the approximate concentration of the odorous component can be calculated by using the concentration of this index gas, more preferably carbon dioxide, as a reference. Furthermore, since the odorous component produced by the bacterial species (particularly bad bacteria) is known, it is possible to estimate the bacterial species from the odorous component or its component ratio.

On the other hand, the intestinal gas component measuring device of the present invention is
The intestinal gas emitted by a human (or an animal) is adopted as a sample, and trace amounts of chemical substances in the intestinal gas are separated and measured to obtain various clinical biochemical information.

The intestinal gas component measuring device of the present invention comprises a sample collecting unit, an intestinal gas emission detecting unit, an intestinal gas component analyzing unit, and a control / arithmetic processing unit. Of these, especially for the analysis unit, a special structure is used because of the demand for high sensitivity and miniaturization. Generally, gas chromatography is used for analysis of a gas body, and various detectors are used according to the type of measurement gas and the purpose of analysis. The apparatus of the present invention also employs a separation column, especially a capillary, for the purpose of multi-item measurement and rapid measurement. As a detector, PID
(Photo Ionization Detector), IMS (Ion Mobility Spectrometer) or ECD (Electron Capture Det
ector: Electron-capture type ion detector), which emits a measurement signal according to the amount of ionization by irradiating the gas component to be detected in the intestinal gas with light or radiation to ionize it. .

This type of detector is based on the FID (Flame Io
nization Detector: Hydrogen ionization type detector) and FPD
Unlike the (Flame Photometric Detector), which does not involve the combustion of hydrogen gas, it is safe and can be miniaturized, and it has higher sensitivity and accuracy than these, and cheap air or nitrogen gas can be used as the carrier gas. There are advantages that can be used. In addition, very sensitive and highly accurate APIMS (Atomosph
eric Pressure Ionization Mass Spectrometry) is too large to be used in the present invention. In addition, there are also high-sensitivity and high-accuracy detectors such as a potentiostatic electrolysis gas sensor, but this has selectivity such that the gas to be detected is limited to carbon monoxide or hydrogen compounds, and is similarly used in the present invention. It cannot be done. still,
Among the detectors that can be used in the present invention, the PID is the most preferable because it does not use radiation.

Next, the sampling section supplies the ambient atmosphere gas body to the intestinal gas emission detection section and the intestinal gas component analysis section, and is composed of a tubular sampling tube and piping inside the apparatus. The inner surface of the sampling tube is equal to or higher than the body temperature, for example, 36 to 100 ° C, more preferably 40 to 5 ° C.
It is desirable to heat it up to about 0 ° C. This is to prevent the moisture in the exhaled air from condensing and adhering to the inner wall of the sample collecting tube, and dissolving and adsorbing the gas component there. For heating, a heating element may be arranged around or inside the collection tube, or the tube may be made of a material having an exothermic property and the outer circumference thereof may be covered with a heat insulating material. Moreover, you may incorporate a temperature control mechanism.

The sampling tube is used by arranging the suction port at its tip near the anus, for example, in the toilet seat of a toilet bowl. Alternatively, it may be fixed to the buttocks of a patient sleeping in bed with tape or the like.

The intestinal gas emission detector comprises a suction pump for sucking the ambient atmosphere gas body and an index gas detector arranged in front of the suction pump. The suction pump always operates after the main switch is turned on, and an air pump of a diaphragm type or the like is used. . As the gas detector, for example, in the case of carbon dioxide gas, a non-dispersion type infrared densitometer is used. This gas detector constantly monitors and recognizes that intestinal gas was released when the carbon dioxide concentration rapidly increased. At the same time, its concentration is measured. Recognizing that this intestinal gas has been emitted is used to detect flatus.

The intestinal gas component analysis unit is arranged in front of (or behind or in parallel with) a suction means for sucking the ambient atmosphere gas body supplied through the sampling tube, and measures a fixed amount of the ambient atmosphere sample. A sample measuring tube, a delivery means for sending the ambient atmosphere sample in the measuring tube to the column,
It is composed of a detector that detects odorous components in the ambient atmosphere sample separated by the column. The suction means is composed of a pump such as a diaphragm pump or a syringe, sucks the air in the pipe which is the dead space, and removes one of the ambient atmosphere gas bodies in the portion of the intestinal gas component measuring device which is considered to have a high concentration. Functions to feed the sample into the sample measuring tube. The delivery means feeds the carrier gas to feed the ambient atmosphere sample in the sample measuring tube to the column, and air is usually used as the carrier gas. Air is supplied from a small gas cylinder or a compression pump. In the case of a compression pump, the air around the device is used after removing the contaminant gas through an adsorption layer.

In the structure of the sample measuring pipe, for example, two sets of valves are provided in a part of the carrier gas flow path and the space between them is a sample measuring pipe. The amount of the ambient atmosphere sample is about 0.05 to 5 ml, though it depends on the capacity of the detection part. More preferably,
It is about 0.1 to 1 ml. In addition, the sample measuring tube also
It is also necessary to keep the piping part reaching this temperature at a constant temperature higher than the body temperature (for example, about the same as the sample collection tube) in order to prevent water from adhering and to keep the mass of the sample constant.

The detection unit is composed of a column for separating the gas component to be detected and a detector. A capillary column is usually used as the column, but a packed column can also be used depending on the gas to be detected. A plurality of columns may be used in parallel or a temperature rising type column may be used. It should be noted that the separation column needs to be kept in a constant constant temperature state in terms of reproducibility and the like, but it may be kept at a temperature as low as possible, for example, room temperature (20 ° C.) to 50 ° C., in order to prevent decomposition or alteration of the gas to be detected. desirable. When there are differences in the boiling points of a plurality of measurement target gases, a temperature rising type column or a double column may be used.

Most preferred as the detector at the present stage is a photoion detector (PID) as described above. This detector utilizes a phenomenon in which ionization occurs when the detection gas component is irradiated with light (ultraviolet light) having energy larger than its ionization potential. Then, the amount of ionization is converted into an ion current by the electrode and taken out, and the concentration of the gas component to be detected is determined by the magnitude of the ion current. I among other available detectors
An MS (ion mobility spectrum detector) periodically opens and closes a gas component to be detected, which has been ionized by β rays, with a shutter to guide it to a moving layer at atmospheric pressure. Here, the ions are classified according to the ionic characteristics (size, mass, shape). That is, the migration time (drift ti
me). Compared with the standard component pattern data (algorithm) stored in advance in the microprocessor,
Identify the target component. The ECD (electron capture type ion detector) also uses β rays as the ionization source, and is intended to detect and identify the ionized detection target gas component with high sensitivity.
It should be noted that if ion analysis techniques different from these are developed in the future and they can be miniaturized with high sensitivity and high accuracy, they can be similarly used.

A main part of the control / arithmetic processing unit is a microcomputer, which outputs an actuation signal to the suction means and the sending means at the time when the detection signal from the index gas detector is input, and from the detector. The calculation signal is processed to calculate the concentration and the component ratio of the odorous component from the calibration curve stored in advance, and the calculation result is stored, or alternatively, the display device (display) or the recording device (printer), etc. It manages the operating program of the entire device, such as outputting signals to the output device.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in more detail based on the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a block diagram of an intestinal gas component measuring device 1 according to the present invention. The measuring device 1 is composed of a sample collecting unit 2, an intestinal gas emission detecting unit 3, an intestinal gas component analyzing unit 4, a control / arithmetic processing unit 5, a printer 6 as an output device, and the like. See also FIG.
FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a usage state of the intestinal gas component measuring device of the present invention. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to what is shown.

The sample-collecting section 2 is composed of a sample-collecting pipe 21 for sucking the ambient atmosphere gas G and a pipe such as a three-way branch joint 22 connected to the sample-collecting pipe 21. The sampling tube 21 is
A plastic tube (preferably a Teflon tube) having an inner diameter of about 1 to 5 mm and a length of about 1 m is covered with a heater and a heat insulating material. The inside of the plastic tube is heated to prevent water from adhering to exhaled air. Heating is 36 to 100 ° C with the controller
The temperature is adjusted to an arbitrary temperature of 50 ° C., for example.

The intestinal gas emission detector 3 comprises a suction pump 31 for sucking the ambient atmosphere gas G and an index gas detector 32 arranged in front of the suction pump 31. Suction pump 31
Uses a diaphragm pump because it always operates after the main switch is turned on. In this embodiment, carbon dioxide gas is used as the index gas, and the gas detector 32 is a non-dispersion type infrared concentration meter for carbon dioxide gas. The gas detector 32 constantly monitors the gas atmosphere G around the buttocks, recognizes that the intestinal gas has been diffused at the time when the concentration of carbon dioxide gas rapidly increases, and outputs a signal to that effect to the control / arithmetic processing unit. Output to 5. After that, the suction pump 31 may be stopped. Incidentally, the rapidly increased carbon dioxide concentration is measured at the same time, and the value is stored in the control / arithmetic processing unit.

The intestinal gas component analysis unit 4 includes a sampling tube 21.
A suction pump 41 for sucking the ambient atmosphere gas G supplied therethrough, a sample measuring pipe 42 arranged in front and for measuring a fixed amount of the ambient atmosphere sample S, the inside of the measuring pipe 4
2, a compression pump 44 for supplying a carrier gas (air) for feeding the ambient atmosphere sample S to the column 43, and the column 4
The detection unit 45 and the like for detecting odorous components in the ambient atmosphere sample separated in 3. The suction pump 41
Starts to operate immediately when a signal indicating that the intestinal gas has been emitted is input from the control / arithmetic processing unit 5. Reference numeral 48
Is an adsorption layer for purifying air serving as a carrier gas.

The sample measuring pipe 42 in this example is constructed by dividing a part of the carrier gas flow path by two sets of valves 46 and 47. Its volume is about 0.5 ml. The sample measuring pipe 42 and the inner surface of the pipe portion are also heated to about 40 to 50 ° C. The most preferable detector 45 is a photoion detector (PID) at the present stage as described above. This detector utilizes a phenomenon in which ionization occurs when the detection gas component is irradiated with light (ultraviolet light) having energy larger than its ionization potential. Then, the amount of ionization is converted into an ion current by the electrode and taken out, and the concentration of the gas component to be detected is determined by the magnitude of the ion current. I among other available detectors
An MS (ion mobility spectrum detector) periodically opens and closes a gas component to be detected, which has been ionized by β rays, with a shutter to guide it to a moving layer at atmospheric pressure. Here, the ions are classified according to the ionic characteristics (size, mass, shape). That is, the migration time (drift ti
me). Compared with the standard component pattern data (algorithm) stored in advance in the microprocessor,
Identify the target component. The ECD (electron capture type ion detector) also uses β rays as the ionization source, and is intended to detect and identify the ionized detection target gas component with high sensitivity.
It should be noted that if ion analysis techniques different from these are developed in the future and they can be miniaturized with high sensitivity and high accuracy, they can be similarly used.

The main part of the control / arithmetic processing unit 5 is a microcomputer 51, which operates at the time of inputting a detection signal from the index gas detector 32 to the suction pump 41 and a compression pump 44 for supplying a carrier gas. Is output, and the measurement signal from the detection unit 45 is arithmetically processed to calculate the concentration of the odorous component from the calibration curve and the carbon dioxide concentration stored in advance, and the calculation result is stored, or the display device is displayed. It manages the operation program of the entire device, such as outputting a signal to 6.

Next, a method of using the device of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 shows an example thereof, in which the sampling tube 21 is arranged at the toilet seat 71 of the toilet bowl 7. This method is based on the rule of thumb that a lot of flatus occurs when a bowel movement is given. The person to be measured first turns on the main switch of the apparatus 1. It may be possible to detect that the buttocks are on the toilet seat with an infrared sensor etc. and automatically insert the mains inch. Then, the suction pump 31 starts operating and slowly begins to suck the ambient atmosphere gas G in the anus. The suction speed is, for example, about 1 liter / minute. During that time, the index gas detector 32 constantly measures the carbon dioxide concentration. Normally, the concentration of carbon dioxide in air is in ppm. However, when the change per unit time increases sharply, the control / arithmetic processing unit 5 recognizes that there is a discharge (flatus) of intestinal gas. At the same time, the concentration is measured and stored.

Then, the suction pump 41 of the intestinal gas component analysis unit 43 starts to operate in response to a command from the control / arithmetic processing unit 5 to suck the ambient atmosphere gas G. A part thereof is taken into the sample measuring pipe 42. Next, the ambient atmosphere sample S inside the sample measuring tube 42 is sent into the column 43 by the carrier gas, separated and fractionated due to the difference in the retention time of each component gas, and sequentially ionized in the detector 45, and the ionization amount thereof. Is converted into an electric signal and output. The electric signal is arithmetically processed by the control / arithmetic processing unit 5, and the concentration of the gas component to be detected in the intestinal gas is measured from the calibration curve stored in advance.

The device of the present invention is fixed to the suction port of the sampling tube 21 of the device of the present invention with a band or the like in the vicinity of the anus such as the buttocks of a patient who is sleeping on a bed, in addition to being attached to the toilet bowl described above. Analysis of intestinal gas released during or during rest may be performed.

[0029]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the present invention is a clinical biochemical test apparatus and test method for analyzing the intestinal gas of humans or animals to measure the minute gas component concentration contained in the intestinal gas. Then, the ambient atmosphere gas sample containing the diffused intestinal gas is sent through the column to the detection unit that ionizes the minute amount of the gas component to be detected by irradiating it with ultraviolet rays or radiation to detect the concentration of the gas component to be detected. It is to measure. Then, attention is paid to an index gas such as carbon dioxide as the timing of measurement, and sampling is started at the same time when the index gas is detected. Further, the present invention informs that there was the fact of flatus by detecting the indicator gas.

Therefore, it has the following features. 1)
It is possible to timely sample and analyze intestinal gas that is not known when it is released out of the body and that is released uncontrollably. 2) By analyzing the intestinal gas, the odorous component gas contained in the trace amount can be easily and surely analyzed. Further, by measuring the concentration of the indicator gas, a rough dilution rate can be known, and then the rough absolute concentration of the odorous component gas can be measured. 3) By analyzing the odorous components in the intestinal gas, it is possible to estimate the bacterial species producing these, particularly the type of bad bacteria, and the amount and ratio thereof. 4) Therefore, in addition to the information obtained from the conventional blood, urine, or exhaled breath, there is an advantage that information of the human body, in particular, large intestine system can be obtained. In addition, it is said that the components of intestinal gas are greatly influenced by food and lifestyle, and it is possible to obtain objective data on them, which helps improve dietary habits and the progress of treatment. Play a big role in. 5) On the other hand, unlike blood analysis, the patient does not feel pain, fear, or pressure. Therefore, the burden on the patient for repeated measurement and continuous observation is completely eliminated. Also, because it can be automatically sampled in the toilet or while sleeping,
There is no need to worry about embarrassing the patient. 6) Miniaturization of the device because it uses a detector that does not require combustion of hydrogen gas and can measure with high sensitivity and in a short time.
The operation can be simplified, the measurement can be speeded up, and the inspection cost is extremely low.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an example of a block diagram of an intestinal gas component measuring device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a usage state of the intestinal gas component measuring device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Intestinal gas component measuring device 2 Sampling section 21 Sampling tube 3 Intestinal gas emission detector 31 Suction pump 32 index gas detector 4 Intestinal gas component analyzer 41 Suction pump 42 Sample measuring tube 43 columns 45 detector 5 Control / arithmetic processing unit 5 G Ambient gas body S Ambient atmosphere sample

Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-6-47047 (JP, A) JP-A-6-58919 (JP, A) JP-A-9-43182 (JP, A) JP-A-57-20270 (JP , A) Actual development Sho 61-42444 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01N 33/48-33/98 A61B 10/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A surrounding atmosphere sample containing intestinal gas is collected at the same time as or immediately after detecting carbon dioxide gas, methane or hydrogen serving as an indicator gas among the main components in intestinal gas released outside the body. A method for measuring an intestinal gas component, which comprises separately quantifying an odorous component contained in the sample. 2. The method for measuring an intestinal gas component according to claim 1, wherein the indicator gas is carbon dioxide gas. 3. A method for detecting fart, which comprises detecting carbon dioxide gas, methane or hydrogen as an index gas among the main components in intestinal gas released outside the body. 4. The method of detecting flatus according to claim 3, wherein the indicator gas is carbon dioxide gas.