QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF STOOL LOSSES IN ADULT CELIAC-DISEASE - USE OF NEAR-INFRARED ANALYSIS RECONSIDERED

Background: An attempt has been made to establish whether near-infrare d stool analysis is more suitable for quantifying malabsorption than t he traditional stool fat analysis. A group of celiac disease (CD) pati ents was used as index population. Methods. Stool fat, nitrogen, and w ater were measured with near-infrared analysis of 1- and 3-day stool c ollections in 96 celiac disease patients on a free diet (in 39 also on gluten-free diet) and in 96 matched controls and 14 patients with lat ent CD. Results. The fecal output of fat,nitrogen, and water was signi ficantly increased in free-diet CD, whereas their percentage content w as only slightly modified compared with controls. None of the variable s under consideration differed significantly between the 24-h and 72-h stool specimens. Conclusion. Our data show that the high Value of fec al fat, nitrogen, and water, in celiac disease, are mainly due to the fecal weight, whereas the percentage composition of stool does not off er additional diagnostic information. Furthermore, 3-day stool collect ion is not necessary to confirm or rule out malabsorption in most pati ents. Near infrared analysis of 24-h specimens is time- and cost-effec tive and may increase the use of stool analysis and be usefully employ ed to monitor the clinical follow-up of patients with chronic diarrhea .