Pattern of disaccharidases in chronic diarrhoea and malabsorption

ABSTRACT

Disaccharide-splitting enzymes were analyzed in the jejunal mucosae of 48 patients suffering from chronic diarrhoea and/or malabsorption, and the results were compared to those of 11 controls. Four [36.4%] of the controls were found to have partial lactase deficiency with a mean ratio of sucrase to lactase activity of 54.8 [SEM +/- 60.06] Significant reduction in the disaccharidases [lactase, sucrase, maltase, and isomaltase] were observed in patients with celiac disease and primary intestinal lymphoma; other groups exhibited variable affection in all disaccharidasas. High incidence of hypolactasia in these patients is the net results of both genetic influence on lactase activity and as a consequence to mucosal injury. It is suggested that further studies should be carried out using intestinal biopsy and direct enzyme assay in a large number of healthy adults