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TEMPORARY INTESTINAL LACTASE DEFICIENCY IN LIGHT‐TREATED JAUNDICED INFANTS
Author(s) -
BAKKEN A. F.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1977.tb07813.x
Subject(s) - lactase , lactose , medicine , diarrhea , gastroenterology , jaundice , breast milk , endocrinology , biochemistry , biology
The intestinal lactase activity in six newborn jaundiced light‐treated infants with diarrhea and in eight normal controls were compared by lactose tolerance test (LTT). The ability to hydrolyze lactose was minimal in the jaundiced infants during light‐treatment compared to the controls which could absorb lactose very well. Peroral intestinal biopsies were taken from the newborn jaundiced infants during light‐treatment. By histochemical technique no intestinal lactase activity was found in these intestines. When the jaundiced infants with diarrhea were given lactose‐free diet, the stools normalized. The effect was reversed when breast milk was given while the baby was still jaundiced and light‐treated. These findings indicate that the increased amounts of unconjugated bilirubin in the intestine of jaundiced infants during light‐treatment inhibit the intestinal brush‐border lactase. When the icterus fades the lactase is again active. The practical consequence is to give light‐treated infants lactose‐free diet if they get diarrhea, and to reintroduce breast milk or other lactose containing diet when the baby is no longer icteric.