Malabsorption

Malabsorption

Malabsorption	FBC , blood film ; protein (total), albumin, calcium, phosphate, potassium; PT . Carotene or faecal fat if steatorrhoea suspected.
Post-gastrectomy syndromes	If indicated: ferritin, Vitamin B12 . Schilling Test if blind loop suspected.
Cholestasis
Pancreatic disorders esp
Cystic fibrosis
Chronic pancreatitis Schwachman syndrome
Small bowel disorders esp	If indicated: ferritin, vitamin B12 , folate; magnesium, zinc; immunoglobulins G, A, M ; small bowel biopsy .
Coeliac disease
Giardiasis
Crohns disease
Intestinal Lymphoma
Whipple’s disease	Small bowel biopsy with EM.
Graft versus host disease (chronic)
Disaccharidase deficiency Lactose intolerance Sucrose intolerance	Small bowel biopsy with estimation of disaccharidases provides the definitive diagnosis. Reducing substances, pH - faeces. Lactose and sucrose tolerance tests may cause abdominal pain and diarrhoea and are rarely performed.
Enterokinase deficiency	Consult pathologist.