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Hi Alison, Putting the patients on lactose-free diet isn't going to answer the question, especially when they have something else wrong with them! I recomend switching to breath testing, measuring hydrogen and methane after an oral lactose dose (or whatever carbohydrate you are investigating) The problem of course is that you've got to find somene/somewhere to collect the breath samples. We used a dedicated GC system supplied by Quintron (USA) which uses room air as a carrier gas and has a solid state detector. Cheap and simple to use and has run without any problems for 5 years. Gastrochek, which is a UK company, also makes a system, but when I looked at it the Quintron was the preferred option. Hydrogen and methane in breath is quite stable when collected into proper vessels. Most of the samples we use are just collected into syringes but we also do these tests postally, with the breath sent through the post in siliconised, re-usable bags. It's certainly a lot better than faecal sugar chromatography (which I last did in 1983!) Nick Miller London On 28/11/2012, Alison Jones <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > In line with many other labs in the UK, we are looking at withdrawing > our assay for faecal sugar chromatography. The consensus seems to be > that up to 80% of malabsorption syndromes can be diagnosed by clinical > history and basic haematology / biochemistry screening. Others who have > withdrawn this test have advised clinicians to trial to lactose free > diet with monitoring of symptoms. However, short of performing a bowel > biopsy, the diagnostic test of choice for the investigation of > carbohydrate malabsorption is breath testing. > > Can anyone tell me whether a lactose free diet is as effective in ruling > in / out lactose intolerance as a breath test? And how long should > patients trial the diet? > > I would also appreciate advice / comments from others who have already > been down this route, particularly if you had any strong objections from > any group. > > With many thanks > > Alison Jones > Principal Clinical Biochemist > Doncaster Royal Infirmary > Armthorpe Road > Doncaster > Tel: 01302 553131 > > > Travelling to Doncaster Royal Infirmary? Why not use the free Park & Ride > service from Doncaster racecourse - free parking with free shuttle buses to > and from the hospital every 15 minutes (6.30am-10pm, Mon-Fri). > > Travelling between our hospitals? Why not use the free shuttle buses > between: > Bassetlaw Hospital and Doncaster Royal Infirmary > Montagu Hospital and Doncaster Royal Infirmary > > This email is confidential, private and privileged. If you are not the > intended recipient please accept our apologies. Do not disclose, copy or > distribute information in this email or take any action in reliance on its > contents; to do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Please inform > us that this email has gone astray before deleting it. Thank you for your > cooperation. > > ------ACB discussion List Information-------- > This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical community > working in clinical biochemistry. > Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed via the > internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and they are > responsible for all message content. > ACB Web Site > http://www.acb.org.uk > Green Laboratories Work > http://www.laboratorymedicine.nhs.uk > List Archives > http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html > List Instructions (How to leave etc.) > http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/ ------ACB discussion List Information-------- This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical community working in clinical biochemistry. Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and they are responsible for all message content. ACB Web Site http://www.acb.org.uk Green Laboratories Work http://www.laboratorymedicine.nhs.uk List Archives http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html List Instructions (How to leave etc.) http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/