Diagnosis of Lactose Malabsorption by the Lactose Tolerance Test with Peroral Ethanol Administration

Abstract

In order to assess the reliability of the oral lactose tolerance test with ethanol (LTTE), the jejunal lactase activity and the curves of blood glucose and galactose after an oral load of 50 g lactose were estimated in 75 patients. The galactose metabolism was inhibited by an oral ethanol dosis (300 mg per kg body weight). The reproducibility of the maximum rise in blood glucose was good and that in galactose satisfactory in the 11 patients tested. The maximum rise of blood galactose correlated very well with the jejunal lactase activity in patients with normal histology of the small intestine.