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pH, Stool (SPH)

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EPIC Test Name

PH, STOOL

EPIC Code

LAB109

Specimen Requirements

fresh liquid stool
Minimum Volume:1g
Transport:Room Temperature ASAP
Stability:Room Temperature: 1 day at 20-25 degrees C
Refrigerated: 7 days at 2-8 degrees C
Container:stool container or urine cup
Rejection Causes:Formed stool

Methods

Hydrogen in concentration

Turnaround Time

SpecimenTurnaround TimeFrequency
fresh liquid stool2 daysdaily

Reference Ranges

Hydrogen in concentration
All Range
Not established

Clinical Indications

For patients with carbohydrate malabsorption, unhydrolyzed disaccharides are fermented by the bacteria in the intestine producing gas and lactic acid. Normally, the stool specimen is usually neutral to alkaline. A pH less than or equal to 5.5 indicates an acidic feces suggesting carbohydrate malabsorption, e.g., lactose intolerance. Carbohydrate malabsorption can lead to watery diarrhea causing dehydration and acidosis.

Additional Information

Stool reducing sugars and stool pH should not be used as screening tests for carbohydrate malabsorption due to disaccharidase deficiencies in pediatric patients.

Common Synonyms

Feces pH

Performed

Lab
Chemistry - Downtown

Interpretative Information

A pH less than or equal to 5.5 indicates an acidic feces suggesting carbohydrate malabsorption.

CPT

83986

LOINC

2755-7

References

1. Eherer AJ, Fordtran JS. Fecal osmotic gap and pH in experimental diarrhea of various causes. Gastroenterology. 1992;103:545-51. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(92)90845-p. PMID: 1634072.
2. Erickson JA, Case K, Neider C, Johnson LM. Stool Reducing Sugars and Stool pH Are Poor Screening Tests for Intestinal Disaccharidase Deficiencies in Children. J Appl Lab Med. 2020;5:257-62. doi: 10.1093/jalm/jfz017. PMID: 32445391.

Contact Information

Chemistry - Downtown: (315)464-4460
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