Open AccessLactose Malabsorption Is Not a Cause of Diarrhea During Phototherapy
Author(s) -
Yoram Bujanover,
Georg Schwartz,
B Milbauer,
Y Peled
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.206
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1536-4801
pISSN - 0277-2116
DOI - 10.1097/00005176-198504000-00007
Subject(s) - malabsorption , medicine , diarrhea , lactose , lactase , gastroenterology , postprandial , hydrogen breath test , lactose intolerance , breath test , biochemistry , chemistry , insulin , helicobacter pylori
Lactose malabsorption is not a cause of diarrhea during phototherapy. Jaundiced neonates under phototherapy develop diarrhea or loose stools during the treatment. These phenomena were attributed to an induced lactase deficiency caused by bilirubin breakdown products. We investigated lactose malabsorption in 59 neonates--29 normals and 30 jaundiced under phototherapy. Five-hour hydrogen breath tests were performed. Preprandial and postprandial (at 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, and 300 min) expired air samples were analyzed for hydrogen. Ten controls and five jaundiced neonates had positive hydrogen breath tests. Eighteen controls and 16 neonates under phototherapy had preprandial hydrogen (concentrations above 5 ppm). In our hands, lactase deficiency and lactose malabsorption were not induced by phototherapy. Lactase deficiency is therefore not the cause of diarrhea associated with phototherapy.