The Value of Non-Invasive Examinations of Patients with Chronic Diarrhoea

Abstract

Chronic diarrhoea is a commonly occurring complaint. In a prospective study of 100 consecutive patients with chronic diarrhoea we established the proportions of the appearance of organic and functional diarrhoea, and, secondly, we investigated by means of a few low-stress procedures the possibility of screening for organic or functional diarrhoea. In this paper we describe the results of our study. It appears that, of the cases of chronic diarrhoea, 40% are of organic and 60% of functional origin. An overview of the value of the different procedures for use in diagnosis is presented. It appears that no single method alone could be used to distinguish with almost complete certainty patients with diarrhoea of organic origin and those with irritable bowel syndrome. A combination of several anamnestic data, laboratory findings, and other examinations made it possible to state with some certainty about patients with chronic diarrhoea that its cause was organic. At the end of the paper we propose an order in which tests of patients with chronic diarrhoea should be made.

Key Words:

• Algorithm
• chronic diarrhea
• incidence
• irritable bowel syndrome
• low stress procedures
• organic diarrhoea