Influence of systemic infections on xylose absorption.

Serial blood-xylose concentrations have been determined in 28 Papua New Guineans after 25 g oral xylose; 9 had an acute and 8 a chronic systemic infection, 4 the tropical splenomegaly syndrome and 7 were free of infection. Mean xylose was significantly depressed at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min in those with acute and chronic infections. Correlations between xylose and serum albumin, alpha 1, alpha 2, beta- and gamma-globulin concentrations were not significant. When the xylose test is used in tropical countries the effect of systemic infections on the result must be careful evaluated, otherwise tropical malabsorption ('tropical sprue') might be diagnosed erroneously.