Pancreatic insufficiency in giardiasis

ABSTRACT

To study pathological mucosal changes, gut bacteriological spectrum [bacterial overgrowth] and some pancreatic exocrine function in Giardiasis. 50 Patients having Giardia lamblia infection proved by stool examination beside, 20 healthy controls of matched age, sex and socioeconomic status. All patients and controls were subjected to thorough history and clinical examinations. Stool examination for diagnosis of giardia and study of fat contents, liver function tests, renal function tests, glucose tolerance curve, plain x-ray abdomen and abdominal ultrasonographly. Pancreatic function tests in the form of trypsin and amylase activities in duodenal aspirate, besides serum amylase and trypsin concentrations Upper GIT endoscopy for taking duodenal biopsy Also, parsitological and bacteriological examination for the duodenal aspirates. Both amylase and trypsin activities were lowered in patients than controls [t = 9.256] [t =7.284] and in patients with severe mucosal abnormalities than in patients with minor or no abnormalities [t = 7.462] and [t = 6.567] respectively. On the other hand, both serum amylase and trypsin concentrations showed significant elevation in patients than controls [t = 8.676] and [t= 7.827] and in patients with severe mucosal abnormalities than in patients with minor or no abnormalities [t =7.541] and [t = 7.623] respectively Giardia infection leads to a state of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency which resulted mainly from duodenal mucosal changes rather than bacterial overgrowth