[The value of the blood xylose test in children with the malabsorption syndrome (author's transl)].

Blood xylose levels were studied 30, 60 and 90 minutes after oral administration of D-xylose in 121 patients aged 2 months to 12 years with symptoms of malabsorption. The results show that the 60-minute test aline is sufficiently accurate and the dose of 15g xylose/m2 surface area seems perferable to a uniform dosage of 5g xylose. Reference values of blood xylose were determined in children with normal intestinal mucosa and prove a significant difference between babies and elder children. Comparison between the results of the xylose test in normal children and in different conditions of intestinal mucosa showed that the one-hour blood xylose test is of little value in the selection of cases requiring primary diagnostic intestinal biopsy in children with malabsorption. This test, however, might be valuable in the control of patients with diagnosed coeliac disease and as a screening test for other members of those families.