[Qualitative microscopic evaluation of fecal fats. Comparative study]

Microscopical examination of stool fat is an easy laboratory procedure a long ago used as screening for steatorrhea. Quantitative analysis of stool fat is accepted as the best method to diagnose fat malabsorption, but stool collection and the laboratory technique are more difficult and time-consuming. The main objective of this work was performed to compare the accuracy of microscopical qualitative examination in the same fecal sample collected in 500 patients, 299 adults and 201 children, for the three days quantitative method. The diagnosis of steatorrhea was confirmed by chemical determination in 237 adults (stool fat values greater than 5 g) and 131 children (stool fat values greater than 2 g). From these 62 patients adults and 70 children were admitted as controls. The study showed that microscopical qualitative fat evaluation is highly comparable with findings obtained by chemical dosage. However, it is important to consider the use of two microscopic examination for each fecal sample, that must be carefully homogenized.