Abstract
Patients with CF lose large amounts of bile acids in their stools. As a result, they have an increased proportion of glycine conjugated bile acids with diminished tauroconjugates which could contribute to fat malabsorption. Twenty-two CF children with steatorrhea were supplemented with taurine (30 mg/kg/day) and placebo during separate 6 month treatment periods. A predominance of taurine conjugates was observed in 2 patients tested during taurine supplementation. On taurine, steatorrhea was reduced (p<0.05) by 17.6±9.7% in 19 patients who completed the study. In contrast to long chain saturated fatty acids, there was no change in linoleic acid excretion. In the 10 patients with a more severe degree of steatorrhea the decrease in fat loss approached 20% and a close relationship was found (r=0.84, p<0.01) between the extent of the fatty acid loss on placebo and the decrease of this loss on taurine. A linear relationship was found between the % decrease of individual fatty acids and their log solubility in water. No change was found in the daily excretion of bile acids, neutral sterols and nitrogen. Monitoring of growth revealed a marginal (p<0.1) increase of weight velocity expressed as a % expected for age (83.4±11.3→117.1±16.5). The increase in height velocity in response to taurine showed a more modest trend (95.3±7.8→110.7±10.6). These data provide support for the use of taurine supplements as an adjuvant form of therapy particularly in patients with a more severe degree of steatorrhea.
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Darling, P., Lepage, G., Leroy, C. et al. 639 TAURINE SUPPLEMENTS IMPROVE FAT ABSORPTION IN PATIENTS WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS. Pediatr Res 19, 217 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00669
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00669