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Unit Code 8310:
Fat, Feces

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Useful For

Diagnosing fat malabsorption due to pancreatic or intestinal

disorders

Clinical Information

Fecal lipids include monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides,

phospholipids, glycolipids, soaps, sterols, cholesteryl esters, and

sphingolipids.

 

Steatorrhea (increased fecal excretion of fat) may reflect a number

of pancreatic or intestinal disorders, including chronic pancreatitis

with or without stone obstruction, cystic fibrosis, neoplasia,

Whipple's disease, regional enteritis, tuberculous enteritis,

gluten-induced enteropathy (celiac disease), Giardia-associated

enteropathy, sprue, or the atrophy of malnutrition.

Reference Values

Timed collection: 2-7 g fat/24 hours

Random collection: <20% fat

Interpretation

Excretion of >7 grams fat/24 hours, when on a diet of 100 g to 150 g

of fat, is suggestive of a malabsorption defect.

 

Abnormal values should be confirmed by submission of a timed

collection.

Cautions

Not useful for differentiating among pancreatic diseases

 

Proper patient preparation is critical (see Specimen Required).

Failure to adhere to a fat-controlled diet or to exclude other oil/oil

substitutes from the diet may make interpretation difficult.

 

Barium interferes with test procedure; a waiting period of 48

hours before stool collection analysis is recommended.

 

Recommend not using charcoal as a marker. If charcoal is used

please notify the laboratory.

Special Instructions and Forms

• Stool Collections 

Clinical Reference

Henderson AR, Rinker AD:  Gastric, pancreatic, and intestinal

function. In Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry. 3rd edition. Edited

by CA Burtis, ER Ashwood. Philadelphia, WB Saunders

Company, 1999, pp 1293-1295

Key