2018•Oxford University Press eBooksRequires access
Malabsorption
Satish Keshav, Alexandra Kent
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Abstract
Malabsorption is defined as a defect in the digestion and absorption of nutrients by the gastrointestinal tract. It can lead to a specific nutritional deficiency (‘selective’ malabsorption, such as vitamin B12 deficiency) or a general nutritional deficiency (global malabsorption, such as that due to diseases affecting the mucosa diffusely, such as Crohn’s disease). The commonest causes of malabsorption are coeliac disease and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency.