malabsorption

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malabsorption (mal-ăb-sorp-shŏn) n. a state in which absorption by the small intestine of one or more substances, such as fat, vitamins, or amino acids, is reduced. Symptoms (depending on the substances involved) include weight loss, diarrhoea, anaemia, swelling (oedema), and vitamin deficiencies. The commonest causes are coeliac disease, pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, blind-loop syndrome, or surgical removal of a length of small intestine.

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