Intestinal absorption in Saudi Arabia: an evaluation of the one hour blood xylose test

The screening value of the one-hour blood xylose test, corrected for body surface area, was prospectively studied in Saudi Arabian adults and children under investigation for suspected intestinal malabsorption. Sensitivity of discrimination between patients with and without upper small bowel disease was 91%, compared to 85% for the five-hour urine xylose test. Primary small bowel disorder was rare. In a three-year review, no cases of adult coeliac disease or tropical sprue were found. The most common causes of malabsorption were intestinal tuberculosis, abdominal lymphoma and immunoproliferative small intestinal disease. Despite its acceptability as an index of proximal small bowel function, the blood xylose test alone is an inadequate screening test for any of these conditions.