Malabsorption and mucosal abnormalities of the small intestine in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1985. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Malabsorption and mucosal abnormalities of the small intestine in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Ann Intern Med. 1985 May;102(5):619-22. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/85172923
Gillin JS; Shike M; Alcock N; Urmacher C; Krown S; Kurtz RC; Lightdale CJ; Winawer SJ

Abstract: Diarrhea and weight loss may accompany the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. We studied 30 patients with the syndrome, 20 of whom had diarrhea and weight loss and 10 of whom did not. Patients with identifiable enteric infections or small intestinal Kaposi's sarcoma were excluded. Malabsorption was common in the patients with diarrhea and weight loss, as shown by abnormal D-xylose and 14C-glycerol-tripalmitin absorption tests. In these patients, duodenal biopsy specimens showed a histiocytic infiltrate containing numerous acid-fast organisms in 5 and a mild-moderate chronic inflammation in 13. In asymptomatic patients, duodenal biopsy specimens were normal in 6 and showed chronic inflammation in 4. These results suggest that malabsorption is common in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome with chronic diarrhea and may contribute to their weight loss.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*COMPLICATIONS/PATHOLOGY Adult Body Weight Carbon Radioisotopes/DIAGNOSTIC USE Diarrhea/ETIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY Duodenitis/ETIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY Human Intestinal Mucosa/*PATHOLOGY Intestine, Small/*PATHOLOGY Malabsorption Syndromes/*ETIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY Male Middle Age Rectum/PATHOLOGY Sarcoma, Kaposi's/PATHOLOGY Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. Triglycerides/DIAGNOSTIC USE Xylose/BLOOD/DIAGNOSTIC USE JOURNAL ARTICLE

KWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/KWDcomplications/pathologyadultbodyweightcarbonradioisotopes/diagnosticusediarrhea/etiology/pathologyduodenitis/etiology/pathologyhumanintestinalmucosa/KWDpathologyintestine,small/KWDpathologymalabsorptionsyndromes/KWDetiology/pathologymalemiddleagerectum/pathologysarcoma,kaposi's/pathologysupport,uKWDsKWDgov't,pKWDhKWDsKWDtriglycerides/diagnosticusexylose/blood/diagnosticusejournalarticle
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Copyright © 1985 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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