Fat malabsorption is associated with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), a health condition where the body does not produce enough digestive enzymes or produces digestive enzymes that do not work properly.
Crohn's disease is an inflammatory or ulcerating condition of the GI tract that may affect the small intestine, thus resulting in malabsorption syndrome.
Sometimes fat malabsorption results from a lack of bile from diseases of the gallbladder, bile ducts or liver. But sometimes it results from another problem, leaving leftover bile acids in your small intestine and passing these on to your colon.
But a condition called malabsorption syndrome means your body isn't able to take in many of the nutrients from the food you eat. This digestive problem can lead to symptoms such as bloating and diarrhea.
Fat malabsorption secondary to intestinal disease results in abnormalities of lipoprotein concentration and composition and can lead to deficiency of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins.
Regardless of the cause, malabsorption syndrome refers to the clinical picture comprising diarrhea, steatorrhea, malnutrition, weight loss, abdominal pain, and anemia. Undigested food produces diarrhea, due to its voluminous effect in the bowel lumen.
The main symptom of gastroenteritis is diarrhea. When the GI tract becomes infected during gastroenteritis, multiple activities from the virus brings on diarrhea. Malabsorption occurs because of the destruction of the gut cells called enterocytes.
Low levels of carotene in the blood suggest deficient absorption of fat-soluble vitamins or dietary deficiency. Serum carotene levels are generally low in people with fat malabsorption. Vitamin B12 and folate levels may also be used to screen for malabsorption.
Differential Diagnosis
Some differentials are specific to a malabsorption syndrome or presenting symptom[18]: Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (Waldmann disease) differential diagnoses constrictive pericarditis, Crohn disease. Whipple disease, systemic sclerosis, intestinal tuberculosis, sarcoidosis.
Stool studies
The patient is asked to ingest at least 80gm of fat per day, and stools are collected for 1–3 days. The total amount of fat excreted in the stool is determined in the laboratory. This is helpful in determining the degree of malabsorption; usually less than 7gm of fat per day are excreted in stool.
Many diseases can cause malabsorption. Most often, malabsorption involves problems absorbing certain sugars, fats, proteins, or vitamins. It can also involve an overall problem with absorbing food. Problems or damage to the small intestine that may lead to problems absorbing important nutrients.
What autoimmune disease causes malabsorption? Autoimmune diseases like celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, and Crohn's disease can cause malabsorption syndrome.
The main complication of viral gastroenteritis is dehydration — a severe loss of water and essential salts and minerals. If you're healthy and drink enough to replace fluids you lose from vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration shouldn't be a problem.
IBS symptoms can result from malabsorption of fructose. Fructose is a monosaccharide found naturally in small quantities in fruits and some vegetables, and in much larger quantities in industrially manufactured sweets with added sugars (e.g. sucrose and high fructose corn syrup).
Having too much fat in your stool is called steatorrhea. If you have too much fat in your stool, it may be a sign that food is moving through your digestive system without being broken down and absorbed correctly. This is called malabsorption.
Steatorrhea is one of the clinical features of fat malabsorption and noted in many conditions such as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), celiac disease, and tropical sprue. An increase in the fat content of stools results in the production of pale, large volume, malodorous, loose stools.
Complications. The complications associated with malabsorption depend upon the severity of the underlying condition. Malabsorption can lead to weight loss, malnutrition, and even failure to thrive in many people. A person can also experience impaired wound healing, a deficient immune system, and low energy levels.
Malabsorption can cause deficiencies of all nutrients or selective deficiencies of proteins, fats, sugars, vitamins, or minerals. People with malabsorption usually lose weight or have difficulty maintaining their weight despite adequate consumption of food.
If you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an immune response in your small intestine. Over time, this reaction damages your small intestine's lining and prevents it from absorbing some nutrients (malabsorption).
It has been known for a long time that malignant lymphomas may cause a malabsorption syndrome which fully resembles idiopathic steatorrhoea [18].
Malabsorption syndrome refers to a number of disorders in which nutrients from food are not absorbed properly in the small intestine. Certain disorders, infections, and surgical procedures can cause malabsorption. Malabsorption causes diarrhea, weight loss, and bulky, foul-smelling stools.
Steatorrhea means that you have excessive amounts of fat in your poop. Fatty poops are different from normal poops. They tend to be looser, smellier and paler in color, like clay. They might float.
Hematologic tests indicated in the workup of malabsorption include the following: A complete blood cell (CBC) count may reveal microcytic anemia due to iron deficiency or macrocytic anemia due to vitamin B12 (cobalamin) or B9 (folate) malabsorption.