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A System for ex vivo Culturing of Embryonic Pancreas
Published on: August 27, 2012
Complex carbohydrate malabsorption in exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
S D Ladas1, K Giorgiotis, S A Raptis
12nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, Greece.
Gut
|July 1, 1993
Summary
Patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency malabsorb 10-30% of complex carbohydrates. Fecal fat, not malabsorbed carbohydrate, significantly impacts stool weight in these patients.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Digestive Physiology
Background:
- Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is characterized by malabsorption.
- The extent of complex carbohydrate malabsorption in EPI is not well-quantified.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify complex carbohydrate malabsorption in patients with EPI.
- To investigate the relationship between carbohydrate malabsorption, fat malabsorption, and stool characteristics.
Main Methods:
- 20 patients with chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer underwent a 3-day stool fat collection and a 100g rice flour breath hydrogen test.
- 29 healthy controls were used for comparison.
- Breath hydrogen levels were measured postprandially after a rice starch meal.
Main Results:
- Patients with EPI malabsorbed significantly more carbohydrate (11.36 g) compared to controls (1.12 g).
- The prevalence of fat malabsorption (>7g) and carbohydrate malabsorption (H2 increase ≥20 ppm) did not differ between patient groups.
- Fecal fat correlated significantly with both malabsorbed carbohydrate and stool wet weight.
Conclusions:
- Patients with EPI malabsorb 10%-30% of ingested complex carbohydrates.
- Fecal fat, rather than malabsorbed carbohydrate, appears to be the primary determinant of stool wet weight in EPI.
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