Disaccharidase levels in je junal biopsy specimens from American and South Indian control subjects and patients with tropical sprue

Abstract

Disaccharidase activities have been studied in biopsy specimens obtained from control Indian and American subjects and from Indian patients with tropical sprue. The values in the Americans were similar to those of Caucasian subjects reported in the literature. Lactase, maltase and trehalase values in the Indian controls were significantly lower than the values in the Americans, but there was no difference in the sucrase. Lactase levels were uniformly low in the Indian controls, indicating a very high prevalence of lactase “deficiency”. In patients with sprue the maltase, sucrase and trehalase levels were significantly lower than in the control groups. Enzyme levels along the length of the intestine of a sprue patient, obtained at post mortem, were decreased to a greater extent in the proximal region.