Arterial oxygen desaturation and intestinal absorption of xylose.

Small-bowel absorption was studied using the xylose absorption test in 16 patients with varying degrees of arterial oxygen desaturation due to either congenital heart disease or chronic lung disease. Xylose absorption was decreased in the cases with more severe desaturation. The correlation of xylose absorption with arterial saturation was significant. In nine cases hypoxia was relieved by either oxygen administration or surgery. Repeat testing showed an increase in xylose absorption in every case, the mean increase being 11.7%, which was statistically significant.