What Is Osmotic Diarrhea?

Except for hypertonic drugs such as magnesium sulfate, most of the causes of such diarrhea are caused by incomplete digestion and decomposition of food. Fat, protein, and carbohydrates in food must be digested in the intestine, especially the catalytic action of enzymes, into simple components before they can be absorbed by the intestinal mucosa. Incompletely digested food and undigested fats, proteins, and carbohydrates remain in the intestinal cavity when there are congenital enzyme deficiencies (such as congenital lactose intolerance), insufficient secretion of pancreatic juice, and decreased or blocked bile secretion. They become non-absorbable solutes. Because of their own osmotic effect, the intestinal wall hinders the reabsorption of water and electrolytes. In order to maintain the osmotic pressure gradient between the osmotic pressure in the intestinal cavity and the osmotic pressure in the mucosal cells.

Osmotic diarrhea

Except for hypertonic drugs such as magnesium sulfate, most of the causes of such diarrhea are caused by incomplete digestion and decomposition of food. Fat, protein, and carbohydrates in food must be digested in the intestine, especially the catalytic action of enzymes, into simple components before they can be absorbed by the intestinal mucosa. Incompletely digested food and undigested fats, proteins, and carbohydrates remain in the intestinal cavity when there are congenital enzyme deficiencies (such as congenital lactose intolerance), insufficient secretion of pancreatic juice, and decreased or blocked bile secretion. They become non-absorbable solutes. Because of their own osmotic effect, the intestinal wall hinders the reabsorption of water and electrolytes. In order to maintain the osmotic pressure gradient between the osmotic pressure in the intestinal cavity and the osmotic pressure in the mucosal cells.

Chinese name

Osmotic diarrhea

Foreign name

Osmotic diarrhea

Pathology

indigestion

Missing

Innate enzyme

Osmotic diarrhea occurs because the intestinal cavity contains a large amount of non-absorbed solutes (non-electrolytes). The effective osmotic pressure in the intestinal cavity is too high, which prevents the intestinal wall from absorbing water and electrolytes.

It can occur when there is an excess of non-absorbable water-soluble solutes in the intestinal lumen, at which time there may be water retention in the intestinal lumen. Sugar intolerance, including lactose due to lactase deficiency, or the use of difficult-to-absorb salts (magnesium sulfate, sodium phosphate) as laxatives or antacids can cause osmotic diarrhea.

Diarrhea ceases after fasting;

The osmotic pressure in the intestinal cavity exceeds the plasma osmotic pressure;

stool contains a lot of food ingredients that are not completely digested or broken down;

The electrolyte content in feces is not high.

The stool osmotic gap is enlarged. The so-called fecal osmotic pressure difference refers to the difference between the fecal osmotic pressure and the molar concentration of fecal electrolytes. Because fecal osmotic pressure is generally equal to plasma osmotic pressure when excreted from the body, plasma osmotic pressure can be used instead of fecal osmotic pressure. The calculation formula is: feces osmotic difference = plasma osmotic pressure -2 × (feces -Na +] + feces [K +]), and the plasma osmotic pressure takes a constant number, which is 290mOsm / L. Normal human stool osmotic pressure is between 50 125mOsm / L. The stool osmotic pressure of patients with osmotic diarrhea is mainly composed of unabsorbed solutes, and the Na + concentration is often less than 60mmol / L, so the stool osmotic pressure difference is> 125mOsm / L .

1. Diarrhea causes anemia. When diarrhea occurs, the patient's normal digestive function will be affected, and the absorption of proteins and other hematopoietic elements in the body will be reduced. This can easily lead to blood in the stool of the patient. Whitening of nails, skin, etc., body fatigue, dizziness and tinnitus are the main symptoms of anemia.

2. Malnutrition. The human body absorbs the gastrointestinal tract mainly through the gastrointestinal tract. When diarrhea occurs, the human body absorbs nutrients. When the energy supply is insufficient, symptoms such as dizziness, palpitation, and shortness of breath are easy to occur. For children, if there is long-term diarrhea, it will have a serious impact on the normal development of the child.

3. Vitamin deficiency. Long-term diarrhea can affect the body's absorption of vitamins and can easily cause vitamin deficiency. If the skin and hair are dry, dull, and the eyesight is impaired, it indicates a lack of vitamin A; if it is inflammation of the mouth corner, glossitis and other symptoms, it is a manifestation of lack of vitamin B.

Congenital or secondary lactase deficiency patients often develop diarrhea after eating milk or goat's milk. If it occurs in children, it is usually congenital, or lactase deficiency, or Due to insufficient lactase production. Occurred in some adults, the secondary is more common, that is, the lack or deficiency of the enzyme caused by chronic intestinal infection. After stopping the dairy products, the symptoms can disappear by themselves.

Chronic pancreatitis (diarrhea type) due to long-term inflammation of the pancreas is impaired, its exocrine function is insufficient, pancreatic lipase secretion is significantly reduced, steatorrhea appears, and the stool is orange oil. Most of the oily substances are undigested triglycerides, which are liquid at body temperature. They pass through the intestine and absorb the pigments in feces and food, so they are orange.

(3) Under normal physiological conditions of liver disease or biliary obstructive disease, bile can reduce the surface tension of fat droplets, and the peristalsis of the intestine can emulsify fat into droplets with small diameter (0.5 to 1.0 micron), thereby promoting its further digestion. This process cannot be completed if bile secretion is reduced or absent. Patients with this type of disease often have bile secretions that are blocked or reduced, affecting the emulsification and absorption of lipids.