Incidence and duration of lactose malabsorption in children hospitalized with acute enteritis: Study in a well-nourished urban population

Breath hydrogen tests were conducted on 104 hospitalized infants (mean age, 13 months) with acute enteritis following an oral lactose load to assess the prevalence and duration of lactose malabsorption and clinically-evident lactose intolerance in such patients. Of these, 52 showed evidence of lactose malabsorption, 33 of whom were clinically intolerant. The implications of these findings and related clinical results are discussed. (wz)