Abstrakt
Malabsorption is a failure of normal absorption of nutrients and micronutrients regarding transport, digestion or absorption of nutrients in the gut. It differs from malnutrition, which is an inadequate food intake.
Malabsorption can be generalized, affecting absorption of a range of nutrients, or specific, where the absorption of only a single nutrient is impaired. Principially three mechanisms are involved in pathophysiology of malabsorption: premucosal (luminal), mucosal and postmucosal (postabsorptive).
Premucosal mechanisms lead to maldigestion, mucosal and postmucosal mechanism lead to real malabsorption. There are many diverse causes of malabsorption.
Treatment depends on understanding mechanisms of malabsorption involved, identifying the cause by means of laboratory and imaging methods based tests and procedures and giving specific therapy where possible and available.