Causes of Malabsorption

Mechanism

Cause

Inadequate gastric mixing, rapid emptying, or both

Billroth II gastrectomy

Gastrocolic fistula

Gastroenterostomy

Insufficient digestive agents

Autoimmune metaplastic atrophic gastritis

Biliary obstruction and cholestasis

Cirrhosis

Chronic pancreatitis

Cholestyramine-induced bile acid loss

Cystic fibrosis

Lactase deficiency

Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic resection

Sucrase-isomaltase deficiency

Abnormal milieu

Abnormal motility secondary to diabetes, systemic sclerosis, hypothyroidism, or hyperthyroidism

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (eg, due to blind loops, diverticula in the small intestine)

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (low duodenal pH)

Acutely abnormal epithelium

Acute intestinal infections

Alcohol

Neomycin

Chronically abnormal epithelium

Amyloidosis

Celiac disease

Crohn disease

Ischemia

Radiation enteritis

Tropical sprue

Whipple disease

Short bowel

Intestinal resection (eg, for Crohn disease, volvulus, intussusception, or infarction)

Jejunoileal bypass for obesity

Impaired transport

Abetalipoproteinemia

Addison disease

Blocked lacteals due to lymphoma or tuberculosis

Intrinsic factor deficiency (as in pernicious anemia)

Lymphangiectasia