Pancreatic dysfunction and its association with fat malabsorption in HIV infected children

Background—Nutrient malabsorption frequently occurs in HIV infected children, but very few studies have investigated exocrine pancreatic digestive capacity in these cases.Aims—To investigate pancreatic function in HIV infected children and to determine whether faecal fat loss, a prominent feature of intestinal dysfunction, is associated with pancreatic dysfunction.Patients—Forty seven children with HIV infection without apparent pancreatic disease and 45 sex and age matched healthy controls.Methods—Pancreatic function was evaluated by measuring elastase 1 concentration and chymotrypsin activity in stools by ELISA and colorimetric methods, respectively. Intestinal function was evaluated by m…