title: Fecal fat microscopy. Acceptable predictive value in screening for steatorrhea.
abstract: Fecal fat droplet count was compared with Van de Kamer chemical determination of fecal fat in 41 adults (24 excreting fat in excess of 6 gm./24 hr.) in an aliquot of a 36-hour fecal collection. Predictability of the droplet count was confirmed by a positive correlation (P less than 0.01) between chemical fat and droplets when serially diluting stool containing high fat. The droplet count separated normal and abnormal fat excretors with a probability similar to the chemical analysis (P less than 0.001). The droplet count correlated with the chemical analysis (P less than 0.01) and using a calibration curve it predicted the amount of fat in the microscopic counting space (P less than 0.01). Improved standardization (dilution of stool 1:1 with Sudan-acetic acid, counting in a hemacytometer, microscopy of heated specimen) can easily be adopted by a bedside laboratory. Microscopy in an aliquot of stool homogenate collected over 24 hours is preferable over microscopy from a random stool specimen.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005223:Fats / Q000032:analysis*; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008853:Microscopy
chemical_list: D005223:Fats