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Lactose intolerance in 2011 |
Hépato-Gastro. Volume 18, Number 6, 589-94, Novembre-Décembre 2011, Mini-revue
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 Résumé
Texte intégral
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Author(s) : Virginie Alexandre, Anne-Marie Davila, Michel Bouchoucha, Guillaume Cadiot, Robert Benamouzig |
Summary : Lactose intolerance results from intestinal malabsorption, due to hypolactasia. Such a deficiency may have a congenital primary origin when resulting from a mutation of the lactase coding gene and appearing at birth, or an acquired primary origin when developing over time. In both cases, hypolactasia is non-reversible. Lactase deficiency may also have a secondary origin when resulting from an intestinal epithelial disease. In such cases, hypolactasia is reversible. The symptoms associated to intolerance are not specific but similar to those of the irritable bowel syndrome. Nowadays, various diagnostic techniques are available but of limited reliability and lacking of accessibility. A combined evaluation of malabsorption and intolerance must be systematically performed in order to optimise the diagnostic reliability. In case of hypolactasia with malabsorption and intolerance, therapeutic solutions exist. They are based on an exclusion diet, the use of lactose-free foods and substitutive enzymotherapy. |
Keywords : lactose intolerance, malabsorption |
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