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Clinical value of dual-isotope fat absorption test system (FATS) using glycerol [125I]trioleate and glycerol [75Se]triether

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Abstract

In order to delineate the clinical value of a dual-isotope fat absorption test system (FATS) using glycerol [75Se]triether as lipid-phase marker and glycerol [125I]trioleate as the test lipid, fecal isotope ratios from single stools (and a 72-hr stool homogenate) were compared to quantitative fecal fat excretion. The study included 11 patients without and 24 patients with steatorrhea. With a figure of 0.8% as the upper limit of normal, the test was a reliable indicator of steatorrhea with 87.5% sensitivity and 81.8% specificity; efficiency was 85.7%. Related to a prevalence of steatorrhea of 45.9% as the mean value of 1269 consecutive 72-hr specimens investigated for steatorrhea during 1978–1982, the positive (negative) predictive value of the FATS is 80.3% (87.2%). With 2% as the upper limit of normal, no false positive results ensued. It is concluded that a two-step interpretation of the FATS (0.8% limit and 2% limit) may be regarded a valid qualitative index for steatorrhea. The FATS isotope ratio using single stools correlated well with FATS ratios in the 72-hr stool homogenates (r=0.97). FATS therefore allows a convenient estimate of steatorrhea from measuring single stools. As a quantitative measure of fecal fat excretion, the FATS is unreliable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, D-3400, Göttingen, FRG

    B. Lembcke MD, A. Lösler MD, W. F. Caspary MD, P. Schürnbrand, D. Emrich MD & W. Creutzfeldt MD, FRCP

  2. Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, FRG

    B. Lembcke MD, A. Lösler MD, W. F. Caspary MD, P. Schürnbrand, D. Emrich MD & W. Creutzfeldt MD, FRCP

Authors
  1. B. Lembcke MD
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  2. A. Lösler MD
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  3. W. F. Caspary MD
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  4. P. Schürnbrand
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  5. D. Emrich MD
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  6. W. Creutzfeldt MD, FRCP
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Lembcke, B., Lösler, A., Caspary, W.F. et al. Clinical value of dual-isotope fat absorption test system (FATS) using glycerol [125I]trioleate and glycerol [75Se]triether. Digest Dis Sci 31, 822–828 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01296050

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01296050

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