Elastase is an enzyme produced by the pancreas during thedigestive process.
The fecal elastase test involves collecting and sending a stool sample to a laboratory.
It could also mean that youre not absorbing enough nutrients from your food.
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This could be due to acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) pancreatitis or other conditions.
This is often due to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.
If you have steatorrhea, you may have frequent diarrhea and loose, oily stools.
Your poop may also be pale (clay-colored), large, and extremely foul-smelling.
It might stick to the toilet bowl when you give a shot to flush.
Researchers havent identified any upper limit for normal elastase results.
No health conditions have yet been associated with overly high results on a fetal elastase test.
Your healthcare provider might also recommend making certain lifestyle changes, such as reducing alcohol intake and quitting smoking.
If your EPI diagnosis is confirmed, pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) could help.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition & facts for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.
Lam KW, Leeds J.How to manage: patient with a low faecal elastase.Frontline Gastroenterol.
Struyvenberg MR, Martin CR, Freedman SD.Practical guide to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency - breaking the myths.BMC Med.
