Steatorrhoea

Steatorrhea (Steatorrhoea) is the release of excess fat in the stool (more than 5 g/day) due to impaired absorption of fats in the intestine (see Malabsorption).

With steatorrhea, stool becomes discolored, foul-smelling, may appear greasy, and may be difficult to pass.

Steatorrhea occurs in diseases of the pancreas (pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer), in which the production of enzymes involved in the digestion of fats is disrupted.

Steatorrhea can also be caused by inflammatory bowel disease, small intestinal tumors, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis and other conditions that impair the absorption of fat in the small intestine.

Steatorrhea is diagnosed by testing stool for fat content. Treatment depends on the identified cause and may include diet, enzyme preparations, and treatment of the underlying disease. Untimely treatment of steatorrhea can lead to nutritional disorders and deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins.

Steatorrheic diarrhea, or steatorrhea, is a disease of the digestive system characterized by the release of excess stool from the gastrointestinal tract without visible changes in the color of the stool. As a rule, this occurs due to disruption of the digestive process. In addition, this disorder can lead to serious consequences such as anemia or dehydration. Research has shown that steatorrhea affects about 25% of the world's population. In our article we will look at the main causes of steatorrhea and how to treat it.

Causes of the disease

Steatorrhea can be caused by a variety of reasons. It often hides a metabolic disorder. This condition is sometimes associated with the genetic characteristics of the body, namely with an abnormality of genes responsible for the normal absorption of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Deficiency of the enzymes responsible for digesting fats and carbohydrates can also cause steatoria. Some diseases, such as lactase deficiency in newborns, can also trigger it. Steatorrhea affects people with insufficient vitamin A intake, because... the microelement plays an important role in the breakdown of fats. In addition, excess calories in the diet can also cause this pathology. Typically the typical amount of this nutrient is

There are nutritional steatorrhea and drug-induced steatorrhea. With alimentary steatorrhea associated with pancreatic lipase deficiency, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency with acute death of the pancreas; acute pancreatitis and exacerbations of chronic pancreatitis, tumors of the pancreas or its ducts, chronic intestinal diseases, the digestion of fats is disrupted, some of them are absorbed into the enterocytes and used by the tissues, the remainder of the stool becomes fatty. There is also a deficiency of vitamins A, D, K (nutritional, rachitic