ABSTRACT
The diasaccharidase enzyme activities of the small intestinal mucosa and fluid were assessed in 31 Jordanian individuals. The group investigated comprised eight normal subjects and 23 patients with gastrointestinal disorders with an age-range of four months to 11 years. A significant reduction in enzymatic activity was observed in certain Intestinal disorders as contrasted from the normal. The enzymatic reduction was found to correlate well with the structural changes in the intestinal mucosa. The present investigations confirm the reliability of enzyme assessment in the intestinal fluid in replacement of the more hazardous intestinal biopsies. The method employed can be used both in paediatric research and in diagnosis of patients with malabsorption. It is for the first time that such investigations have been carried out in Jordan. Such diagnostic aids are of low cost and are free of complications