A review of rifaximin and bacterial overgrowth in poorly responsive celiac disease

Abstract

A proportion of patients with celiac disease have a poor response to a gluten-free diet, which may be due to small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Treatment with rifaximin is often used in the clinical setting, but there is limited literature to support this practice. In addition, challenges in the diagnosis of SIBO confound response interpretation. Our recent placebo-controlled trial did not demonstrate any improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms after treatment with rifaximin and casts doubt on the utility of lactulose–hydrogen breath testing for SIBO in this population.