Disaccharidase-deficiency enteropathies

Disaccharide deficiency enteropathies are congenital or acquired lesions of the small intestine caused by decreased activity or complete absence of one or more disaccharidases.

Causes and pathogenesis of disaccharide deficiency enteropathies

The following enzymes, disaccharidases, are produced in the intestinal mucosa:

• isomaltase breaks down isomaltose;
• thermostable maltase II and III - breaks down maltose;
• invertase - breaks down sucrose;
• trehalase - breaks down trehalose;
• lactase - breaks down lactose.

The enzymes listed break down disaccharides into monosaccharides (in particular, invertase breaks down sucrose into fructose and glucose; maltase breaks down maltose into two glucose molecules; lactase breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose).

Causes of disaccharide deficiency enteropathies

Clinical picture of disaccharide deficiency enteropathies

Disaccharide deficiency enteropathies are divided into primary (hereditary) and secondary, arising as a result of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or the use of certain medications (neomycin, progesterone, etc.).

Symptoms of disaccharide deficiency enteropathies

Diagnostic criteria for disaccharide deficiency enteropathies

1. History of intolerance to disaccharides (usually milk, sugar) and reduction or disappearance of enteropathy symptoms after elimination of these disaccharides and products containing them from the diet.
2. Characteristic results of coprological analysis: acidic reaction of feces, presence of gas bubbles (fermentative dyspepsia), undigested starch, fiber, lactic acid.

Diagnosis of disaccharide deficiency enteropathies

Treatment of disaccharide deficiency enteropathies

The main method of treating disaccharide deficiency enteropathy, both congenital and acquired, is a diet with the exclusion or sharp restriction of the intolerant disaccharide.

Treatment of disaccharide deficiency enteropathies

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