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Near-infrared spectrometry analysis of fat, neutral sterols, bile acids, and short-chain fatty acids in the feces of patients with pancreatic maldigestion and malabsorption

International Journal of Pancreatology volume 23, pages 137–143 (1998)Cite this article

Summary

Conclusion. Near-infrared spectrometry is a new, rapid, and accurate method for measuring fecal fat that does not require a great deal of chemical knowledge and that can be used by anyone. This method is considered indispensable for the diagnosis of pancreatic steatorrhea and treatment follow-up.

Methods. Fecal fats (GLC method, van de Kamer method), neutral sterols (GLC method), bile acids (GLC method) and short-chain fatty acids (HPLC method) were assayed by the respective conventional methods in 120 subjects, including patients with pancreatic dysfunction, and the results were compared with the those obtained by near-infrared spectrometry. The correlations between fecal fat excretion measured by the GLC method (x) and van de Kamer method (x) and by near-infrared spectrometry (y) were expressed by y=1.10 x-0.16 (r=0.949, P<0.01) and y=0.750x+1.654 (r=0.930, p<0.01), respectively.

Results. The sensitivity and specificity of near-infrared spectrometry for fecal fats were 94.9 and 98.2%, respectively, when compared with the GLC method, and 87.5 and 90.0%, respectively, when compared with the van de Kamer method. In contrast, near-infrared spectrometry was not nearly as accurate as the conventional methods for determining neutral sterols, bile acids, and short-chain fatty acids.

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Affiliations

  1. Institute of Gastroenterology, Tokyo Women’s Medical College, Tokyo, Japan

    Tadashi Takeuchi

  2. Third Department of Internal Medicine, Hirosaki University School of Medicin, 5 Zaifu-cho, Hirosakishi, 036, Aomori, Japan

    Teruo Nakamura, Akinori Terada, Yusuke Tando & Toshihiro Suda

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  1. Teruo Nakamura
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  2. Tadashi Takeuchi
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  3. Akinori Terada
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  4. Yusuke Tando
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  5. Toshihiro Suda
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Nakamura, T., Takeuchi, T., Terada, A. et al. Near-infrared spectrometry analysis of fat, neutral sterols, bile acids, and short-chain fatty acids in the feces of patients with pancreatic maldigestion and malabsorption. International Journal of Pancreatology 23, 137–143 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1385/IJGC:23:2:137

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/IJGC:23:2:137

Keywords

  • Bile Acid
  • Pancreatology Volume
  • Pancreatic Insufficiency
  • Coprostanol
  • Neutral Sterol