Etiological spectrum of sporadic malabsorption syndrome in northern Indian adults at a tertiary hospital.
BACKGROUND
The etiology of malabsorption syndrome (MAS) may differ in different geographical regions. Limited data are available on the etiological spectrum of MAS among Indian adults.


METHODS
Ninety-nine consecutive adult patients with MAS (urine d-xylose <1 g/5 g/5 h with or without increased fecal fat (> or =7 g/24 h) were evaluated for cause of MAS using standard criteria. Past medical records were examined to know the nature of treatment received.


RESULTS
The etiology of MAS was: tropical sprue 39, celiac disease 9, Crohn's disease 9, giardiasis 8, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in absence of another cause of MAS 8, panhypogammaglobulinemia 2 (one with strongyloidiasis), intestinal lymphangiectasia 1, intestinal tuberculosis 4, idiopathic 15, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome 2, and amyloidosis 2. Twenty-eight patients had received anti-tubercular treatment earlier.


CONCLUSIONS
Tropical sprue, celiac disease and Crohn's disease are common causes of MAS in Indian adults. Inappropriate anti-tubercular treatment is common in them and needs to be discouraged.
Ranjan
Piyush
P
Department of Gastroenterology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow.
Ghoshal
Uday C
UC
Aggarwal
Rakesh
R
Pandey
Rakesh
R
Misra
Asha
A
Naik
Sita
S
Naik
Subhash R
SR
D000328:Adult; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008286:Malabsorption Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D013182:Sprue, Tropical / Q000150:complications