Related Experiment Videos
Acid steatocrit: a reliable screening tool for steatorrhoea
A M Van den Neucker1, E M Kerkvliet, P M Theunissen
1Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands. AVN@SKIN.AZM.NL
Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|September 1, 2001
Summary
The acid steatocrit (AS) test is a reliable tool for screening pediatric patients for steatorrhea. AS results were significantly higher in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and celiac disease (CD) compared to healthy children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Clinical Diagnostics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Steatorrhea, characterized by excess fat in stool, can indicate various gastrointestinal disorders in children.
- Accurate and accessible diagnostic tools are crucial for identifying pediatric gastrointestinal conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of the acid steatocrit (AS) test in differentiating healthy children from those with gastrointestinal issues.
- To compare AS results across different pediatric patient groups, including those with cystic fibrosis (CF) and celiac disease (CD).
Main Methods:
- Stool samples from 166 children were analyzed using the acid steatocrit (AS) method.
- Participants included healthy children, asthma patients, treated CF patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, untreated CD patients, and patients with various gastrointestinal problems.
Main Results:
- Median AS values were significantly higher in treated CF patients (24.7%) and untreated CD patients (19.8%) compared to healthy children (3.3%) and asthma patients (4.5%).
- Patients with various gastrointestinal diseases showed a median AS of 5.5%.
- AS results for treated CF and untreated CD patients were notably similar.
Conclusions:
- The acid steatocrit (AS) test is a reliable screening tool for detecting steatorrhea in pediatric patients.
- Elevated AS levels effectively distinguish children with conditions like CF and CD from healthy children and those with asthma.