[Value of the D-xylose test in elderly subjects]

To ten patients who have more than sixty years old (medium: 75.5), the test of D-Xylose with 25 g was carried out. They have not intestinal or extraintestinal disease, that difficult the results. A control group was, ten adults young (medium: 23.7). The xylose in blood was in the first hours, between the normals limits in both groups. It does not occurred with the xylose in urine of five hours. This work support that the absorption of D-Xylose is carried out normally in old people, when the detection is in blood not in urine. Although we purpose the detection of xylose in blood during the first two hours in both groups, as an easy way for this test.