Fat and Nitrogen Balance with Medium-Chain Triglycerides after Massive Intestinal Resection

Medium Chain Triglycerides in Paediatric Practice

“…Steatorrhoea not only correlates with negative nitrogen balance (Pinter, Hyman, and Bolanos, 1969) but in itself results in unpleasant symptoms such as abdominal distension and discomfort, and offensive, often frequent, stools. In lymphatic disorders, such as intestinal lymphangiectasia, a dietary load of long chain fats actually increases enteric protein loss, and where chylous effusions unamenable to operation are the main clinical problem, these can only be reduced in volume by decreasing the content of LCT in the diet.…”

“…In untreated coeliac disease the small intestinal surface area is greatly diminished (Pinter et al, 1964), and the epithelial absorptive and digestive enzyme systems extensively damaged (Townley and Anderson, 1967;Lindberg, Norden, and Josefsson, 1968), and while a gluten-free diet is specific therapy for this disorder, one occasionally encounters very ill or undernourished patients in whom weight gain is of prime importance and is rapidly achieved with MCT while awaiting the response to exclusion of gluten. Again one must carefully consider the sugar content of the preparation when using MCT in this situation, as intolerance to lactose sometimes occurs.…”