Tropical sprue differential diagnosis
Tropical sprue Microchapters |
Diagnosis |
---|
Treatment |
Case Studies |
Tropical sprue differential diagnosis On the Web |
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Tropical sprue differential diagnosis |
Risk calculators and risk factors for Tropical sprue differential diagnosis |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aravind Kuchkuntla, M.B.B.S[2]
Overview
Differentiating Tropical Sprue from other Diseases
Tropical sprue is a diagnosis of exclusion therefore it must be be differentiated from other diseases causing malabsorption:
- Celiac disease[1]
- Infectious causes
- Pancreatic insufficiency
- Osmotic diarrhea
- Secretory diarrhea
Approach to a Patient with Chronic Diarrhea
•Classify diarrhea by the results of the stool analysis: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stool osmotic gap >50 mOsm/kg | Stool osmotic gap <50 mOsm/kg | Fecal occult blood (+), WBC (+), lactoferrin (+), calprotectin(+) | Fecal fat (+) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Osmotic diarrhea | Secretory diarrhea | Inflammatory diarrhea | Fatty diarrhea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Check the pH of the stool | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Low pH • Evaluate for carbohydrate malabsorption | High pH • Evaluate for ingestion of magnesium or antacids • Evaluate for laxative abuse | 1. Exclude infection by any/combination of the following tests:
• Stool culture • Microscopic evaluation for ova and parasites • Stool antigen test for Giardia • Small bowel aspirate or breath H2 test to rule out bacterial overgrowth | 1. Exclude structural disease by any/combination of the following tests:
• Small bowel radiographs | 1. Exclude structural disease by any/combination of the following tests
• Small bowel radiographs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Take a careful dietary history • Order breath H2 test (lactose), OR • Order lactase measurement in a mucosal biopsy | • Order stool alkanization test • Order chromatographic and chemical tests | 2. Exclude structural disease by any/combination of the following tests:
• Small bowel radiographs | 2. Exclude infection by any/combination of the following tests:
• Stool culture: Standard Aeromonas, Plesiomonas, Tuberculosis etc | 2. Exclude exocrine pancreatic insufficieny by any/combination of the following tests:
• Secretin test | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3. Order selective testing:
• Cholestyramine test for bile acid diarrhea • Plasma peptides (Gastrin, calcitonin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide or somatostatin) • Urine (5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, metanephrine or histamine) • Others (TSH, ACTH stimulation test, serum protein electrophoresis or serum immunoglobulins) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Confirmatory diagnosis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Specific treatment per results and symptomatic treatment | {{{ D02 }}} | {{{ Suspect Tropical sprue and initiate antibiotic therapy and folate supplementation }}} | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References
- ↑ Langenberg MC, Wismans PJ, van Genderen PJ (2014). "Distinguishing tropical sprue from celiac disease in returning travellers with chronic diarrhoea: a diagnostic challenge?". Travel Med Infect Dis. 12 (4): 401–5. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2014.05.001. PMID 24889052.