Guaifenesin effects on the guaiac test for occult blood.

IT HAS been stated that guaifenesin will give a positive guaiac reaction. 1 Although Ogburn and Craner 2 disputed this claim, inadequate data were presented. We have investigated the effect of guaifenesin on the stool guaiac test in 31 healthy volunteers. Subjects and Methods All subjects in this study were selected on the basis of a negative stool guaiac test in a control situation 24 hours prior to the study. There were no smokers in the population investigated. Volunteers with a history of any underlying gastrointestinal pathologic conditions (eg, ulceration, gastritis, carcinoma) were not allowed to participate. Subjects were instructed to maintain a normal diet but not to partake of rare or raw meat, alcohol, or other drugs seven days prior to and during the study. The study population consisted of three women and 28 men between the ages of 22 and 31 years. An explanation of the nature of

[1]  Crane Ge,et al.  Letter: Negative guaiac test after glyceryl guaiacolate. , 1975, New England Journal of Medicine.