Malabsorption Syndrome

    
      Re: Malabsorption Syndrome
    


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Posted by HFHSM.D.-jg on March 18, 1998 at 07:56:52:

In Reply to: Malabsorption Syndrome posted by Loren Lott on March 10, 1998 at 18:58:27:

: I am looking for any information on malabsorption syndrome. How is it diagnosed?  How is it treated? and the like.  Thank you.
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Dear Loren Lott
In clinical practice, malabsorption serves as a global term for all aspects of the impairment of food digestion.  Food digestion mainly occurs in the small intestine.  Proper function of the pancreas, bile ducts, liver and the lining cells of the small intestines are necessary for the foods that we eat to be broken down into the constituents that can be absorbed from the intestine into the blood stream.  Malabsorption of sugars (usually lactose or milk sugar) is probably the most frequent form of malabsorption.  Although not a serious condition it can cause symptoms of gas, bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea.  This condition can be diagnosed by breath tests.  Usually, people recognize a relationship between eating milk or cream and their symptoms and curtail the ingestion of these foodstuffs.  If you need milk, you could consider using Lactaid, an enzyme added to milk that breaks down the sugars before you ingest them.
More serious is fat malabsorption.  This condition can be suspected when an individual has large volume stool and weight loss.  Fat absorption is a very complex process.  It can be suspected by the detection of fat globules in the stool during microscopic examination.  For better quantification, fat content can be measured during a 72 hour stool collection.  If you have fat malabsorption you will require evaluation of your pancreas, bile ducts and small intestine.  This can be done with blood tests, ultrasound of the gall bladder and ERCP.  ERCP is an endoscopic test.  You swallow a telescope which is positioned at the opening of the bile duct. Dye is injected into the duct and X-ray pictures are taken.  
Finally, some people have iron deficiency anemia as a result of iron malabsorption by the small intestine.  Frequently the cause is celiac disease. The diagnosis of this condition can be made by blood tests and small bowel biopsy, a simple outpatient procedure that takes approx. 15 min.
Treatment of malabsorption depends on the specific cause.
This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.

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