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Sucrose malabsorption in children: a report of thirty-one Greenlanders
Insights
Children with sucrose malabsorption often suffer from malnutrition and dehydration. A sucrose-free diet effectively resolves symptoms, highlighting the importance of identifying and managing this condition.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Human Nutrition
Background:
- Sucrose malabsorption is a condition affecting children, characterized by abnormal blood sugar responses after sucrose intake.
- Many affected children present with malnutrition and dehydration, requiring medical intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report on a cohort of children diagnosed with sucrose malabsorption.
- To describe the clinical presentation, treatment outcomes, and long-term follow-up of these patients.
Main Methods:
- Case series reporting on 31 children with sucrose malabsorption.
- Assessment of blood sugar levels after ingestion of sucrose and monosaccharides.
- Clinical observation of symptoms, nutritional status, and response to dietary intervention.
- Long-term follow-up of a subset of patients.
Main Results:
- All 31 children exhibited flat blood sugar curves post-sucrose ingestion but normal curves after monosaccharides.
- 75% of patients were malnourished, and 11 were dehydrated upon hospital admission.
- A sucrose-free diet led to symptom resolution and weight gain.
- Delayed diagnosis was common, with many patients experiencing symptoms for over a year.
- Familial occurrence was noted in 3-5 cases.
- Long-term follow-up revealed chronic dyspepsia and persistent underweight issues in patients not adhering to a strict sucrose-free diet.
Conclusions:
- Sucrose malabsorption is a significant cause of malnutrition and digestive issues in children.
- Dietary management with a sucrose-free diet is effective for symptom resolution and nutritional recovery.
- The high incidence in Greenland, coupled with high sucrose consumption, suggests public health implications.
Abstract:
Thirty-one children with sucrose malabsorption are reported. All had a flat blood sugar curve after sucrose ingestion but a normal one after monosaccharides. Seventy-five percent were malnourished and 11 were dehydrated at admission to hospital. Seven had to have intravenous rehydration. After institution of a sucrose-free diet, the symptoms disappeared and the patients gained weight. Eighteen had had symptoms for greater than 1 year, 13 for greater than 2 years, and 7 for greater than 5 years before their cause was discovered. Familial occurrence of sucrose malabsorption was shown in three to five cases. Four children were reinvestigated 7-15 years after diagnosis. All had chronic dyspepsia, and none kept a strictly sucrose-free diet. Three of the four patients were underweight for their age by from 5 to 16 kg, whereas the fourth was as underweight as compared to height. It is concluded that the high incidence of sucrose malabsorption found in Greenland together with the high sucrose consumption might be of nutritional hygienic significance for the population.