Abstract
The appearance time (AT) of the first detectable levels of 13CO2 (> .01% dose/min) in breath following the oral administration of UL-13C-glucose (13C-G, 5 mg/kg) provides an estimate of the time required for orally administered 13C-G to reach the primary site of absorption and utilization. The AT for 13C-G will increase as the absorption of glucose occurs at more distal sites, until a maximum is reached when the glucose enters the colon where it is rapidly oxidized to CO2. The AT of 13C-G administered alone and with formula (60-240 ml) has been used to characterize glucose absorption and utilization in 6 infants (16-93 d) with diarrhea and malnutrition (arm/FOC < 0.28). A maximum value of 27 min for the AT of 13C-G from formula was determined in an infant with congenital glucose-galactose malabsorption, in whom colonic utilization of CHO was demonstrated by breath H2 production and partial recovery of 13C in stool. AT for 13C-G in formula, obtained for the 6 infants measured, were 5,7,15,20,30,30 min, respectively, providing indirect evidence for the colonic utilization of dietary glucose in at least 2 of the infants. In the absence of formula, AT for 13C-G decreased to 10,15,10,10,2,10 min, respectively. This suggests that the CHO load in the formula may have contributed to the small bowel malabsorption of glucose in those infants with near maximal formula AT values.
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Lifschitz, C., Irving, C., Boutton, T. et al. USE OF 13C-GLUCOSE BREATH TESTS IN THE CHARACTERIZATION OF ABSORPTION OF CARBOHYDRATE IN FORMULA BY INFANTS WITH DIARRHEA. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 204 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00667
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00667