Abstract
Lactose absorption tests were studied in 7 malnourished infants with chronic diarrhea, 3 - 7 month old, with the aim to assess the value of some clinical and laboratory parameters evaluated during the oral load of lactose (2g/kg), both in aqueous solution (OLS) and after 7 days, with cow's milk (OLM). Mean “score z” weight/age, height/age and weight/height were, respectively:−3.0±1.6, −2.4±1.1 and −1.9±2.0. Mean d-xylose was 16.4±6.6 mg/dl and moderate villous atrophy was shown in jejunal biopsies. After overnight fasting, during lactose test, blood glucose, stool pH and reducing substances (RS) and hydrogen breath test were analyzed. After 180 min. we observed the following clinical features: abdominal distention in 6 patients loaded with OLS and OLM; increased bowel sounds were observed in 7/OLS and in 5/OLM; diarrhea in 5/OLS and in 4/OLM. Four/OLS and 3/OLM were nonabsorbers; pH less than 6 was observed in 4/OLS and in 3/OLM; mean RSwas 1.25±0.8 mg/dl with OLS and 0.25±0.0 mg/dl with OLM (p=0.015); H2 was 37.6±40.1 ppm with OLS and 8.9±5.3 ppm with OLM (p=0.07). In conclusion, our data showed similar clinical and laboratory findings with OLS and OLM. In addition, a better tolerance was found with cow's milk. The more sensitive tests were the stool reducing substances and the hydrogen breath test with oral lactose aqueous solution.
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