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Clinical Trial
. 2010 Apr;50(4):441-6.
doi: 10.1097/MPG.0b013e3181b18308.

Fat malabsorption in cystic fibrosis: comparison of quantitative fat assay and a novel assay using fecal lauric/behenic acid

Jill Dorsey  1 , Donna Buckley, Suzanne Summer, Ronald J Jandacek, Therese Rider, Patrick Tso, Michael R Narkewicz, James E Heubi
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Fat malabsorption in cystic fibrosis: comparison of quantitative fat assay and a novel assay using fecal lauric/behenic acid

Jill Dorsey et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2010 Apr.

Abstract

Objectives: The gold standard for the diagnosis of fat malabsorption, the 72-hour fat balance study, requires a 3-day collection to generate a coefficient of fat absorption (CFA). We hypothesized that a new test using behenic acid (behenate test) as a nonabsorbable lipid marker may provide a facile means to assess fat absorption. The study proposed to answer 2 questions: first, whether the behenate test correlated with the gold standard and, second, whether the CFA improved when taking pancreatic enzymes during meals instead of taking them before meals.

Patients and methods: The study compared the behenate test with the gold standard in 15 patients with cystic fibrosis during 3 arms that require 3- to 4-day hospitalization: first, taking pancreatic enzymes before meals; second, taking it during meals; and third, without taking it.

Results: The mean CFA was 78.3% when pancreatic enzymes were taken during meals and 80.4% when these enzymes were taken before meals. Correlation between the CFA and the behenate test for collections during all 3 arms was r = 0.219 (P = 0.001).

Conclusions: Timing of ingestion of pancreatic enzymes does not significantly alter the CFA. Although the CFA correlates with the behenate test, the correlation is not robust enough to justify replacement of the gold standard by this test. It is unclear whether the poor correlation between tests relates to intermeal variability in fat excretion or other factors; however, the behenate test may be suitable as a screening test for the detection of fat malabsorption.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Relationship between % fat absorption by the balance method and the fecal behenate method in CF patients without PERT
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relationship between %fat absorption by the balance method and the fecal behenate method in CF patients with PERT
Figure 3
Figure 3
Correlation between fat balance method and fecal behenate method for in CF patients without PERT, with PERT before meals and with PERT during meals
Figure 4
Figure 4
Relationship between % fat absorption by the balance method in CF patients without PERT, with PERT before meals and with PERT during meals
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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