title: Intestinal absorption in myotonic dystrophy.
abstract: Forty-four patients with myotonic dystrophy were subjected to various tests for intestinal absorption. A varying number of patients were subjected to the various tests. In one patient (of altogether 11 patients) a pathological vitamin A absorption test was found together with increased faecal excretion of fat and nitrogen. Two of 12 patients showed pathological D-xylose tests. The reason for this may possibly be deficient urine collection. Schilling tests were on the whole normal. Glucose tolerance tests were pathological in 26 of 35 patients. The following pathological findings were made: elevated fasting blood sugar, elevated peak level, delayed return to pretest level, biphasic response and reduced increment in blood glucose levels following loading. The biphasic response seems to be a rather characteristic finding in myotonic dystrophy. The peak concentration was in all except one case reached within 15-60 minutes. Intravenous glucose loading gave normal response curves. The pathological response on oral loading was probably often caused by intestinal motility disturbances and not by malabsorption. Malabsorption seems to be a rare feature of myotonic dystrophy.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002859:Chromium Isotopes; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009223:Myotonic Dystrophy / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011162:Porphobilinogen / Q000652:urine; D012546:Schilling Test; D013997:Time Factors; D014801:Vitamin A; D014994:Xylose
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002859:Chromium Isotopes; D005227:Fatty Acids; D008055:Lipids; D014801:Vitamin A; D011162:Porphobilinogen; D014994:Xylose; D009584:Nitrogen