Steatorrhea Symptoms

Steatorrhea is a clinical condition in which there is a malabsorption of fats during digestion. In case of malabsorption of a particular nutrient in the digestive system, it is excreted from the body, causing a sort of pseudo deficiency. This disorder can be caused due to various other pre-existing conditions. The treatment for symptoms of this condition depends upon the etiology of the disorder.

Causes
The underlying cause is a defect or alteration in the functioning of the digestive system. The following can be the causes of steatorrhea.

• Liver damage may lead to the decrease or loss of secretion of bile acids. Bile acids play a major role in absorption of fats during digestion. Thus lack of these bile acids leads to malabsorption of fats during digestion.
• A defect in the secretion of enzymes can also lead to fats not being absorbed.
• If the mucosal lining of the digestive system is damaged, malabsorption of nutrients occurs. Malabsorption of fats can be a result of other diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer.
• In cystic fibrosis, the pancreatic ducts are plugged due to mucus which leads to a significant decrease in digestive enzymes such as amylase, lipase, trypsin, chymotrypsin due to which there is a malabsorption of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
• Other diseases in which this condition is observed are Crohn's disease and Whipple's syndrome.

Symptoms
Symptoms are often related to the nature of stools. This section covers the symptoms observed commonly in this condition.

• Large, greasy and malodorous stools.
• These stools have oil droplets in them. Anal leakage is a common symptom.
• The color of the stools varies from pale to gray, this generally occurs in the event of a liver disorder.
• Floating stools which are difficult to flush is a common symptom
• Weight loss and fatigue can be one of the symptoms.
• Fecal incontinence is often observed.

Diagnosis
A test known as Sudan III is conducted to determine the presence of fats in fecal matter. If a patient has a daily intake of 100 gm of fats and excretes around 7 gm of fats, steatorrhea is confirmed. Other tests include CBC, blood smear examination, urine analysis and the absorption of D- xylose to diagnose any other disorder that may be the cause for this condition.

Treatment
The treatment given often depends on the underlying cause. A few diagnostic tests, help in understanding the etiology of the disease. When there is a lack of fat digesting enzymes, these have to be ingested with every meal. Around 30,000 units of the lipase enzyme needs to be consumed with every meal. These enzymes have to be protected from gastric acid digestion, which can be achieved by consuming enteric-coated, pancreatic enzymes. The liver disorders have to be treated in case of lack of bile acids, which can also be caused due to bile duct obstruction. The mode of treatment for this, is totally different and may also require surgical procedures, but this is not considered as a treatment as the liver disorder is the main cause of concern and steatorrhea is a secondary feature. Dietary control is often effective. A control over the daily intake of fats while being treated for the condition is a fast way to get rid of the problem.

Symptoms are a cause of concern as they are an indication of various other grave disorders underlying the condition. Therefore, ignoring them is never an option. Consult a doctor and get a thorough check-up to identify the cause behind the problem.