Harms H K, Bertele-Harms R M, Bruer-Kleis D
N Engl J Med. 1987 May 21;316(21):1306-9. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198705213162104.
Sucrase-isomaltase deficiency is an inherited disaccharidase deficiency that leads to malabsorption of sucrose, with resulting diarrhea and abdominal distention and cramps. We investigated the sucrose-splitting effect of viable yeast cells in eight children with congenital sucrase-isomaltase deficiency, by means of the sucrose hydrogen breath test. This test is based on the fact that hydrogen is released from the malabsorbed sucrose by the colonic microflora. We found that 0.3 g of lyophilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae, given after loading with 2 g of sucrose per kilogram of body weight, reduced hydrogen excretion in all patients, on average by 70 percent, in parallel with a complete loss or evident reduction of clinical symptoms. In vitro, lyophilized and fresh S. cerevisiae (fresh baker's yeast) had appreciable sucrase activity, a low isomaltase and maltase activity, and virtually no lactase activity. The sucrase activity was more inhibited by undiluted than by diluted gastric juice. We conclude that patients with congenital sucrase-isomaltase deficiency who intentionally or unintentionally consume sucrose can ameliorate the malabsorption by subsequently ingesting a small amount of viable yeast cells, preferably on a full stomach.
蔗糖酶-异麦芽糖酶缺乏症是一种遗传性双糖酶缺乏症，可导致蔗糖吸收不良，进而引起腹泻、腹胀和痉挛。我们通过蔗糖氢呼气试验，研究了活酵母细胞对8名先天性蔗糖酶-异麦芽糖酶缺乏症患儿的蔗糖分解作用。该试验基于结肠微生物群从吸收不良的蔗糖中释放出氢气这一事实。我们发现，每千克体重摄入2克蔗糖后给予0.3克冻干酿酒酵母，所有患者的氢气排泄量平均降低了70%，同时临床症状完全消失或明显减轻。在体外，冻干和新鲜的酿酒酵母（新鲜面包酵母）具有相当的蔗糖酶活性、较低的异麦芽糖酶和麦芽糖酶活性，且几乎没有乳糖酶活性。与稀释后的胃液相比，未稀释的胃液对蔗糖酶活性的抑制作用更强。我们得出结论，先天性蔗糖酶-异麦芽糖酶缺乏症患者在有意或无意中摄入蔗糖后，随后摄入少量活酵母细胞（最好在饱腹时）可改善吸收不良的情况。
