Monitoring of intestinal transplant rejection.

Our results show that maltase, sucrase, and lactase activity are present at a normal level in nonrejecting small bowel transplants after an initial postoperative decline. This confirms that the disaccharide absorbing capacity of these grafts is intact. In allogeneic bowel, however, the levels of maltase and sucrase decline as histologic rejection occurs. These results suggest that serial maltase, sucrase, and possibly lactase levels in allogeneic intestinal transplants may serve as a useful adjunct in the monitoring of small bowel transplant rejection.