The kinetics of D3-3H metabolism in tropical sprue.

The metabolism of vitamin D3-3H was studied in a small group of controls and subjects with tropical sprue after the oral or intravenous administration of 8 to 10 microCi of D3-3H. The biological half life of D3-3H upon the administration of the isotope by the intravenous route was normal in 2 controls, very low in a subject with tropical sprue who had steatorrhea, and decreased in a subject with tropical sprue who did not present steatorrhea. After the administration of the isotope by the oral route, the biological half life was 35 hours in the control and no radioactivity could be detected in the plasma of the subject with tropical sprue who had steatorrhea.

Factors responsible for weight loss in tropical sprue.

The respective roles of reduced dietary intake and malabsorption in the pathogenesis of weight loss in persons with chronic tropical sprue have been evaluated . Dietary intake was found to be significantly (P less than 0.001) less in a group of 45 patients with tropical sprue, all of whom had anorexia due to deficiency of folate and/or vitamin B12, than in a group of 51 healthy Puerto Ricans.

Jejunal perfusion of simple and conjugated folates in tropical sprue.

Absorption of labeled simple 3',5',9'-(3)H pteroylmonoglutamate, ([(3)H]PG-1) and conjugated pteroyl-mu[(14)C]glutamyl-gamma-hexaglutamate, ([(14)C]PG-7) folates was assessed in six patients with tropical sprue, before and after 6 mo of treatment, utilizing jejunal perfusion and urinary recovery techniques. Degradation products of [(14)C]PG-7 which were produced during perfusion were identified by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. Jejunal mucosal activities of folate conjugase, lactase, sucrase, and maltase were measured in every patient.