Biomaterial Database

Triolein breath test: a sensitive and specific test for fat malabsorption. 1979

A D Newcomer, and A F Hofmann, and E P DiMagno, and P J Thomas, and G L Carlson

In order to develop a simple and accurate screening test for steatorrhea, the authors compared quantitative stool fat excretion with breath excretion of 14CO2 after the ingestion of 14C-labeled trioctanoin, tripalmitin, or triolein. The study group included 24 nonobese subjects without steatorrhea but with diarrhea secondary to irritable bowel syndrome and 40 subjects with steatorrhea. The triolein breath test provided the most reliable discrimination, with 100% sensitivity and 96% specificity. The trioctanoin and tripalmitin breath tests were sensitive, but lacked specificity (69% and 58% false-positive results, respectively). Three of the 12 obese patients with irritable bowel syndrome had false-positive triolein breath results. In detecting steatorrhea, the triolein breath test was moderately superior to the measurement of serum carotene and to qualitative stool fat. Thus, the triolein breath test appears to be a sensitive, specific, noninvasive, and relatively simple screening test for the detection of steatorrhea.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D001944	Breath Tests	Any tests done on exhaled air.	Breathalyzer Tests,Breath Test,Breathalyzer Test,Test, Breath,Test, Breathalyzer,Tests, Breath,Tests, Breathalyzer
D002245	Carbon Dioxide	A colorless, odorless gas that can be formed by the body and is necessary for the respiration cycle of plants and animals.	Carbonic Anhydride,Anhydride, Carbonic,Dioxide, Carbon
D002250	Carbon Radioisotopes	Unstable isotopes of carbon that decay or disintegrate emitting radiation. C atoms with atomic weights 10, 11, and 14-16 are radioactive carbon isotopes.	Radioisotopes, Carbon
D002446	Celiac Disease	A malabsorption syndrome that is precipitated by the ingestion of foods containing GLUTEN, such as wheat, rye, and barley. It is characterized by INFLAMMATION of the SMALL INTESTINE, loss of MICROVILLI structure, failed INTESTINAL ABSORPTION, and MALNUTRITION.	Gluten Enteropathy,Sprue, Celiac,Sprue, Nontropical,Celiac Sprue,Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathy,Sprue,Disease, Celiac,Enteropathies, Gluten,Enteropathies, Gluten-Sensitive,Enteropathy, Gluten,Enteropathy, Gluten-Sensitive,Gluten Enteropathies,Gluten Sensitive Enteropathy,Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathies,Nontropical Sprue
D004041	Dietary Fats	Fats present in food, especially in animal products such as meat, meat products, butter, ghee. They are present in lower amounts in nuts, seeds, and avocados.	Fats, Dietary,Dietary Fat,Fat, Dietary
D005069	Evaluation Studies as Topic	Works about studies that determine the effectiveness or value of processes, personnel, and equipment, or the material on conducting such studies.	Critique,Evaluation Indexes,Evaluation Methodology,Evaluation Report,Evaluation Research,Methodology, Evaluation,Pre-Post Tests,Qualitative Evaluation,Quantitative Evaluation,Theoretical Effectiveness,Use-Effectiveness,Critiques,Effectiveness, Theoretical,Evaluation Methodologies,Evaluation Reports,Evaluation, Qualitative,Evaluation, Quantitative,Evaluations, Qualitative,Evaluations, Quantitative,Indexes, Evaluation,Methodologies, Evaluation,Pre Post Tests,Pre-Post Test,Qualitative Evaluations,Quantitative Evaluations,Report, Evaluation,Reports, Evaluation,Research, Evaluation,Test, Pre-Post,Tests, Pre-Post,Use Effectiveness
D005243	Feces	Excrement from the INTESTINES, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and BACTERIA of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
D005260	Female		Females