Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.2.1.108 (lactase)
 2,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In adults with the irritable bowel syndrome who had no history of milk intolerance, the prevalence of lactase deficiency and the value of lactose restriction were determined. Eighty subjects with the irritable bowel syndrome who were white, non-Jewish, and of northern-western European background were screened for lactase deficiency by means of the hydrogen breath test. Lactase deficiency was found in 5 of the 80 subjects with the irritable bowel syndrome and in 6 of the 100 subjects without intestinal symptoms who were of comparable ethnic background. After exclusion of milk from the diet, three of the five subjects with lactase deficiency and the irritable bowel syndrome had partial to complete relief of symptoms for 3 weeks, and two of these had sustained relief for 1 year (one with complete and one with 75% improvement). Lactase deficiency was found to be a relatively uncommon cause of irritable bowel symptoms among non-Jewish whites who are of northern-western European background.
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PMID:Irritable bowel syndrome. Role of lactase deficiency. 684 84

A prospective study was undertaken in 100 patients with diarrhoea to identify the causes and to better define the prevalence of the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and to determine if there was a diagnostic symptom complex evident in patients with IBS. A diagnosis of IBS was made in 28 patients and in this group the prevalence of lactase deficiency was found to be 40%. Pain in association with urgency was usual and urgency occurring in the absence of pain was more likely to be found in association with an organic colonic lesion. The two most important symptoms which distinguish IBS from other causes were blood in the motions and weight loss. Giardia lamblia were found in nine patients and 15 patients responded to an empirical course of either metronidazole or tinidazole, without a positive diagnosis of giardiasis being made. Fourteen patients had inflammatory bowel disease and a variety of drugs were responsible for diarrhoea in 10% of patients. Sigmoidoscopy and small bowel biopsy were the most valuable diagnostic investigations.
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PMID:A prospective study of persistent diarrhoea. 695 35

The prevalence of lactose maldigestion is lowest in Scandinavia and Northwest Europe (3-8%) and close to 100% in most of Southeast Asia. In Europe the frequency increases in the southern and eastern directions, reaching 70% in southern Italy and Turkey. There is also a high prevalence of lactose maldigestion in the people of Africa with the exception of cattle-raising nomads. Lactose maldigestion causes uncharacteristic abdominal symptoms such as bloating, borborygmus, colic, flatulence, and diarrhea. The degree of discomfort depends on the amount of lactose consumed, but also on an individual sensitivity to lactose. The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and lactose maldigestion are similar. Consequently, most investigations indicate an increased frequency of lactose maldigestion in patients suffering from IBS. Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in children corresponds to IBS in adults. Lactose maldigestion is a frequent cause of RAP in regions with a high prevalence of lactose maldigestion in early childhood. Diffuse small-intestinal damage in celiac disease or kwashiorkor leads to a proportional decrease of all disaccharidase activities, with the most pronounced being decrease of lactase. The consumption of milk may then cause abdominal discomfort and increased diarrhea. Several investigations have indicated an increased frequency of lactose maldigestion in patients with osteoporosis. A connection between lactose maldigestion and decreased absorption of calcium has not been proven, however. The increased tendency toward osteoporosis is more likely caused by a lower calcium intake because of milk intolerance. Milk and dairy products with reduced lactose content are better tolerated by patients with lactose maldigestion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:The clinical significance of disaccharide maldigestion. 811 58

Recent antigliadin antibody (AGA) determination has become an important diagnostic tool in coeliac disease (CD). Although this test has high sensibility for the disease, it is less specific, especially for IgG class, because of its having been found in some acute and chronic common intestinal childhood diseases. We studied the behaviour of AGA, IgA and IgG, in 234 children affected by various gastrointestinal diseases, comparing the results with those obtained in 125 coeliac children and 788 normal children. The intestinal diseases were as follows: irritable bowel syndrome, cow's milk protein intolerance, acute infectious diarrhoea, parasitosis, lactase deficiency, recurrent abdominal pain, cystic fibrosis, chronic constipation, gastroesophageal reflux, intestinal lymphangiectasia, chronic intractable diarrhoea and nodular lymphoid hyperplasia. Our results showed that while AGA-IgA were absent in all children studied, with the exception of 3 cases of acute diarrhoea, a moderate percentage of AGA-IgG was observed in subjects with cow's milk protein intolerance, acute diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome, lactase deficiency, chronic intractable diarrhoea and in a low percentage of children with parasitosis, intestinal lymphangiectasia and nodular lymphoid hyperplasia. There was no antibody movement in subjects with cystic fibrosis, gastroesophageal reflux, recurrent abdominal pains and chronic constipation. The different behaviour of the two antibody classes could be explained by the fact that AGA-IgG were detected in diseases where scattered areas of mucosal damage could allow the permeability of the macromolecules inducing passage of gliadin through the mucosal barrier and immune system-induced antibody stimulation.
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PMID:[The predictive value of antigliadin antibodies (AGA) in the diagnosis of non-celiac gastrointestinal disease in children]. 834 Dec 33

Patients who met International Congress of Gastroenterology criteria for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and had breath hydrogen lactose testing were interviewed to determine whether detection of lactose maldigestion (LM) had an impact on their symptoms. Of 199 patients initially evaluated, 161 (81%) were contacted and asked to rate their symptoms. At baseline, 47 (29%) of the IBS group had LM. Before testing, 23 (49%) were aware that ingestion of lactose-containing food was associated with their gastrointestinal symptoms. Lactose-maldigesting IBS subjects (IBSLM, n = 47) and those who had IBS and no LM (n = 114) were similar in terms of age, sex, and ethnic background. Interviews performed 41 +/- 1.1 (SEM) months after baseline evaluation revealed no significant differences in abdominal pain, altered bowel habits, bloating/distension, mucus, and relief with defecation among those with IBS or LMIBS. Overall symptoms resolved, improved, did not change, or worsened in a manner not statistically different between IBS and IBSLM groups. IBSLM subjects (a) felt that identifying LM helped them gain awareness of food-symptom relationships (78.7%), (b) experienced some improvement in symptoms (83%), (c) were avoiding lactose foods (87.2%), or (d) used lactase enzyme supplements (38.3%). Identifying LM did not significantly affect rated variables.
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PMID:Does lactose maldigestion really play a role in the irritable bowel? 883 92

Lactose intolerance is widespread, with adult-type hypolactasia being the predominant cause of lactose malabsorption. Daily ingestion of less than 240 mL of milk is well tolerated by most lactose-intolerant adults. Some persons with normal lactase activity may become symptomatic on consumption of products containing lactose. Lactose maldigestion may coexist in adults with irritable bowel syndrome and in children with recurrent abdominal pain. Management consists primarily of dietary changes. People who avoid dairy products should receive calcium supplementation and should be advised to read ingredient labels carefully. Several lactase replacement products are available, but their efficacy varies.
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PMID:When to suspect lactose intolerance. Symptomatic, ethnic, and laboratory clues. 974 7

Lactose malabsorption is characterized by a deficiency of mucosal lactase. As a consequence, lactose reaches the colon where it is broken down by bacteria to short-chain fatty acids, CO2, and H2. Bloating, cramps, osmotic diarrhea, and other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are the consequence and can be seen in about 50% of lactose malabsorbers. Having made the observation that females with lactose malabsorption not only showed signs of irritable bowel syndrome but also signs of premenstrual syndrome and mental depression, it was of interest to establish whether a statistical correlation existed between lactose malabsorption and mental depression. Thirty female volunteers were analyzed by measuring breath H2 concentrations after an oral dose of 50 g lactose and were classified as normals or lactose malabsorbers according to their breath H2 concentrations. All patients filled out a Beck's depression inventory questionnaire. Of the 30 female volunteers, six were lactose intolerant (20%) and 24 were normal lactose absorbers (80%). Subjects with lactose malabsorption showed a significantly higher score in the Beck's depression inventory than normal lactose absorbers did. The data thus suggest that lactose malabsorption may play a role in the development of mental depression. In lactose malabsorption high intestinal lactose concentrations may interfere with L-tryptophan metabolism and 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) availability. Lactose malabsorption should be considered in patients with signs of mental depression.
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PMID:Lactose malabsorption is associated with early signs of mental depression in females: a preliminary report. 982 44

Lactose malabsorption and lactase deficiency are chronic organic pathologic conditions characterized by abdominal pain and distention, flatulence, and the passage of loose, watery stools. Though malabsorption of the sugar lactose is determinable by breath hydrogen test or jejunal biopsy, intolerance can only be confirmed by challenge with lactose-containing food, the response to which may not be immediate. The difficulty of making a positive diagnosis of these conditions has led to a proportion of lactose-intolerant patients being misdiagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which has a remarkably similar symptom complex and for which there is no current pathophysiologic marker. The incidence of the two disorders is approximately equal, but the actual proportion of patients with IBS incorrectly diagnosed in this way varies as a function of the methodology used. Once correct diagnosis is established, introduction of a lactose-free dietary regime relieves symptoms in most patients. Symptom similarity and the resultant incorrect diagnosis of IBS may explain the refractory nature of some patients labeled as IBS who remain largely unaware of the relationship between food intake and symptoms.
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PMID:Lactose intolerance: problems in diagnosis and treatment. 1019 5

Fructose and lactose malabsorption are characterized by impaired duodenal fructose transport or by the deficiency of mucosal lactase, respectively. As a consequence, the nonabsorbed saccharides reach the colon, where they are broken down by bacteria to short fatty acids, CO2, and H2. Bloating, cramps, osmotic diarrhea, and other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are the consequence and can be seen in about 50% of carbohydrate malabsorbers. We have previously shown that fructose as well as lactose malabsorption were associated with signs of mental depression. It was therefore of interest to investigate possible interactions between fructose and lactose malabsorption and their influence on the development of signs of depression. In all, 111 otherwise healthy volunteers (81 females and 30 males) with gastrointestinal complaints were analyzed by measuring breath H2 concentrations after an oral dose of 50 g lactose and of 50 g fructose one week apart. They were classified as normals, isolated fructose malabsorbers, isolated lactose malabsorbers, and combined fructose/lactose malabsorbers. All patients filled out a Beck's depression inventory-questionnaire. Twenty-five individuals (22.5%) were neither fructose nor lactose malabsorbers (group 1), 69 (62.2%) were only fructose malabsorbers (group 2), 4 (3.6%) were only lactose malabsorbers (group 3), and 13 (11.7%) presented with fructose and lactose malabsorption together (group 4). Isolated fructose malabsorption and combined fructose/lactose malabsorption was significantly associated with a higher Beck's depression score. Further analysis of the data show that this association was strong in females (P < 0.01), but there was no such association between carbohydrate malabsorption and early signs of depression in males. In conclusion, the data confirm that fructose malabsorption may play a role in the development of mental depression in females and additional lactose malabsorption seems to further increase the risk for development of mental depression.
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PMID:Carbohydrate malabsorption syndromes and early signs of mental depression in females. 1096

Lactose in dairy products is maldigested by up to 70% to 75% of the world's population and many people may therefore suffer symptoms reminiscent of irritable bowel syndrome. As a result, most research to date has concentrated on ways of improving lactose tolerance to enhance dairy as a source of nutrition. However, research on other possible benefits of lactose and its maldigestion has lagged. In view of an exponential growth in the understanding of intestinal microfloral host interactions and the expanding therapeutical potential of probiotics, a reassessment of the role of lactose as a potential prebiotic in lactase nonpersistent subjects is required. Gibson and Roberfroid introduced the concept of prebiotics and outlined definitive requirements for such a compound. The present article examines scientific and clinical knowledge about the properties of lactose and argues that in lactase nonpersistent subjects, lactose qualifies as a prebiotic.
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PMID:Redefining lactose as a conditional prebiotic. 1505 89


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