[Absorptional function of the small bowel in patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis].

The purpose of the study was to evaluate intestinal absorption of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis (COB) depending on the functional condition of the lungs, and clinical manifestation of its disorder. Fat, protein and carbohydrate absorption was studied in 68 COB patients. Lung ventilation was evaluated by means of spirography, pulmonary gas exchange--via measurement of paO2 of arterialized capillary blood by Astrup method. Fat absorption was evaluated using Kamer method and radioindication with 131I-trioleate-glycerine and 131I-oleic acid; protein absorption was determined using 131I-albumin; carbohydrate absorption was determined by d-xylose test. The study demonstrated that deterioration of respiratory and ventilatory pulmonary functions in patients with COB impaired fat, protein and carbohydrate absorption: paO2 > or = 70 mmHg and ventilatory insufficiency (VI) I were associated with an significant reduction of fat absorption by 49% on the average, protein--by 23%, carbohydrates--by 15%; paO2 = 70-40 mmHg and VI II-III--with reduction of these parameters by 104%, 69%, and 41%, respectively. The results show a direct correlation between body weight (BW) deficit and the reduction of fat, protein, and carbohydrate absorption (r = 0.549, 0.707, and 0.482, respectively) in COB patients. The most prominent was the correlation between BW deficit and the reduction of protein absorption. Thus the study of intestinal absorption of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in patients with COB demonstrates not only reduction of absorption, correlating with the degree of the impairment of ventilatory and respiratory pulmonary functions, but also direct correlations between BW deficit and reduction of fat, protein and carbohydrate absorption.