Patent ID: 7402405
Filing Date: 2008-07-22
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of diagnosing pancreatic-based fat malabsorption disorder in a mammal comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a baseline sample of blood from said mammal; b) administering to said mammal a digestible composition comprising a free fatty acid which can be absorbed from the small intestine of the mammal in the absence of pancreatic lipase hydrolysis thereof and a triglyceride which cannot be absorbed from the small intestine of the mammal in the absence of pancreatic lipase hydrolysis thereof; c) obtaining at least one subsequent sample of blood from said mammal following administration of said digestible composition; d) assaying said baseline sample and said at least one subsequent sample for said free fatty acid and the fatty acids of said triglyceride; e) determining from step d) the rate of fatty acid absorption of each of said free fatty acid and the fatty acids of said triglyceride in said mammal thereby obtaining a first absorption profile; and f) comparing the first absorption profile with a second profile of fatty acid absorption obtained after carrying out steps a), b) and c) on a control mammal being positive or negative for a pancreatic-based fat malabsorption disorder, whereby the presence of a pancreatic-based fat malabsorption disorder in said mammal is indicated when said first absorption profile is comparable to said second absorption profile obtained from a control mammal being positive for said pancreatic-based fat malabsorption and the absence of a pancreatic-based fat malabsorption disorder in said mammal is indicated when said first absorption profile is comparable to said second absorption profile obtained from a control mammal being negative for said pancreatic-based fat malabsorption disorder; wherein both said free fatty acid and said triglyceride are not radiolabeled; and wherein said free fatty acid has an odd number of carbons and said triglyceride comprises fatty acids having an odd number of carbons.