SUGAR BREATH TEST AND SUGAR ABSORPTION TEST FOR ASSESSMENT OF GUT FUNCTION

摘要

The present invention relates to a diagnostic method for assessing thefunctioning and/or structural integrity of the gut in animal subjects. Themethod of the present invention is predicated on assessing the absorptionand/or metabolism of one or more test sugars or functional equivalents such asphosphorylated sugars, oligopeptides or oligonucleotides in an animal subject,wherein the level and/or rate of absorption or metabolism of each molecule isexamined to give an overall indication of gut functioning and/or gutstructural integrity in the animal subject. The methods of the presentinvention have inter alia medical and diagnostic applications in humans, suchas for the diagnosis of various pathologies associated with changes in gutfunction or permeability. Furthermore, the methods of the present inventionmay also be applied to assess gut function or structural integrity in otheranimal, including avian, species.