An evaluation of the 5 g D-xylose absorption test, with fractional urine collections, in subjects living in Southern India
Baker, S.J.; Jacob, R.; Mathan, V.I.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 59(12): 1869-1877
1971
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 5146987 Document Number: 31175
Daily faecal fat excretion, vitamin B-12 absorption using Co57-labelled vitamin and the amount of xylose excreted in the urine at up to 2, 2.1 to 5, 5.1 to 8 and 8 1 to 24 h after 5 g D-xylose by mouth were estimated for 49 healthy persons from low socioeconomic groups as controls and 170 similar persons with tropical sprue. In the periods up to 2 h and 2.1 to 5 h, the mean xylose excretion was significantly greater for controls than with sprue. In the first 5 h after xylose, 24% of controls and 96% of those with sprue excreted less than 25% of the dose. The mean ratio of excretion up to 2 h to that up to 5 h was similar for the 2 groups and was significantly lower than that found by Sammons et al. (Gut (1967) 8, 348) for normal English. This was thought to indicate impaired upper small intestinal absorption in all the Southern Indians due to minor histological changes in the jejunum. Those with sprue had more severe abnormalities and therefore absorbed less xylose. It was concluded that with 5 g xylose, consideration of 20% excretion in 5 h as normal gave the best separation of the controls and sprue subjects.