Quantitative measurement of faecal blood loss: comparison of radioisotopic and chemical analyses

• Published in: Journal of clinical pathology Vol. 44; no. 5; pp. 391 - 394
• Main Authors: Leahy, M B, Pippard, M J, Salzmann, M B, Rinsler, M G, Hesp, R, Smith, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists 01.05.1991; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Chromium Radioisotopes - blood; Erythrocytes; Feces - chemistry; Female; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Iron - deficiency; Iron Radioisotopes; Male; Medical sciences; Methods; Middle Aged; Occult Blood; Porphyrins - analysis; Time Factors; Radionuclide study; Human; Biochemical analysis; Iron deficiency anemia; Blood loss; Exploration; Hemopathy; Diagnosis; Feces; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0021-9746; 1472-4146
• DOI: 10.1136/jcp.44.5.391

Blood loss in faeces was assessed by three different methods in five patients with recurrent iron deficiency. In short term (12 day) studies chemical analysis of complete stool collections for haemderived porphyrins (HemoQuant) gave results closely correlated with those obtained by measuring stool loss of 51Cr-labelled red blood cells. Whole body counting for 59Fe was relatively insensitive to small blood losses but allowed losses to be followed up over longer periods. Chemical analysis of faecal porphyrins thus provides a satisfactory alternative to radioisotopic techniques in short term quantitation of faecal blood loss, while longer term whole body counting of 59Fe may still be appropriate in a few patients for the detection and quantification of intermittent blood losses.