Bile acid malabsorption in AIDS-associated chronic diarrhea: a prospective 1-year study.
OBJECTIVE
In patients with chronic diarrhea associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, bile acid malabsorption, very rarely investigated, may have an important pathogenetic role.


METHODS
In this 1-yr prospective study, 15 patients with AIDS-associated chronic diarrhea and 10 AIDS-controls were studied for bile acid malabsorption by means of the SeHCAT abdominal retention test. The patients with diarrhea underwent the glucose hydrogen breath test to identify any bacterial proliferation in the small bowel.


RESULTS
In the chronic diarrhea group, only one case of small bowel bacterial overgrowth, and seven cases (47%) with generally severe bile acid malabsorption, were observed. Among the controls, only one had an abnormal low SeHCAT retention. In both cases with Cryptosporidium infection, the SeHCAT test was pathological.


CONCLUSIONS
These data are of clinical importance for the pathogenetic study of AIDS-associated chronic diarrhea and for specific treatment with cholestyramine.
Sciarretta
G
G
Department of Gastroenterology, Ospedale Maggiore, Bologna, Italy.
Bonazzi
L
L
Monti
M
M
Furno
A
A
Mazzoni
M
M
Mazzetti
M
M
Gritti
F
F
Malaguti
P
P
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism*; D001944:Breath Tests; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008286:Malabsorption Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012644:Selenium Radioisotopes; D013656:Taurocholic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D013997:Time Factors
D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D012644:Selenium Radioisotopes; D013656:Taurocholic Acid; C033638:23-seleno-25-homotaurocholic acid