Required Knowledge base to manage patients with Chronic Diarrhea
Dr A.J. Chandrasekhar

 

Normal stool 

Definition for diarrhea

The definition of diarrhea is somewhat controversial.  It depends on the patient’s as well as the physician’s perspective.  

It is important to take a good history and ask appropriate questions regarding stooling.  Don’t just accept the patient’s statement of diarrhea. 

Pseudodiarrhea or hyper defecation

Increase in frequency without an increase in weight of the stool.

Fecal incontinence

Classification of Diarrhea

Questions to ask a patient with diarrhea        

Physical findings  you should look for in the evaluation of a patient with Chronic diarrhea

Consequences to diarrhea

Etiology of diarrhea

 Classification of the chronic diarrhea  into subgroups:

Chronic diarrhea can be classified as follows: 

Steatorrhea : Passage of stools containing an excessive amount of fat (>7 gm fecal fat/24 hrs or more than 10% of ingested fat)

Watery diarrhea

Investigational options in the workup of patients with Chronic diarrhea, based on the knowledge of subgroups of chronic diarrhea ?

Stool

Malabsorption

Bowel changes

 D-xylose test

Celiac disease

Diagnostic workup strategy for chronic diarrhea