Wallach's Interpretation of Diagnostic Tests: Pathways to Arriving at a Clinical Diagnosis (923 page)

   Use

   Aids in the diagnosis of malabsorption

   As a follow-up to other stool tests and blood tests to investigate the cause of chronic diarrhea and loose, fatty, foul-smelling stools (steatorrhea)

   Interpretation

   A person who consumes 100 g of fat per day would have an average stool fat of <7 g/24 hours. Fecal excretion of more than 7 g of fat in a 24-hour period or more than 7% of the measured fat intake over a 3-day period is indicative of fat malabsorption or steatorrhea malabsorption.

Increased In

   The absence or significant decrease of the pancreatic enzymes, amylase, lipase, trypsin, and chymotrypsin limits fat, protein, and carbohydrate digestion, resulting in steatorrhea due to fat malabsorption.

   The underlying condition of steatorrhea includes

   Celiac disease

   Chronic pancreatitis

   Crohn disease

   Cystic fibrosis

   Gallstones (cholelithiasis)

   Pancreatic cancer