Definition:
Coprology can be described as a comprehensive assessment of digestion, absorption processes in the intestines, as well as motility disorders. Major changes in feces are evaluated, and microscopic examination reveals additional alterations.
Key Coprological Symptoms Include:
- Creaturia – Presence of muscle fibers in feces due to deficiency of enzymes involved in protein hydrolysis.
- Fat in feces – Steatorrhea, appearing as normal fats and fatty acids, and soaps (fatty acid salts). Steatorrhea can be detected in cases of lipase deficiency and also in disorders of fat hydrolysis absorption.
- Carbohydrates in feces – Amyluria, resulting from deficiency of pancreatic amylase or intestinal amylase, appearing as starch outside the cell due to bacterial fermentation disorders in the large intestines.
- Digestible and indigestible fibers – Often attributed to motility disorders and bacterial bloom formation in the intestines.
Moreover, thorough coprological research can help identify a range of diseases indicating gastrointestinal tract involvement:
- Gastrointestinal Syndrome: Develops in cases of chronic gastritis with decreased gastric secretion.
- Pancreatic Syndrome: Noticed in cases of external pancreatic function deficiency.
- Intestinal Syndrome: Develops in individuals with impaired small intestine function.
- Ileocecal Syndrome: Appears in individuals with involvement in digestion processes in the area near the large intestines due to bacterial disturbances.
- Irritable Colon Syndrome: Found in individuals with constipation, with feces being loose and often covered in mucus.
- External Colon Syndrome: Occurs in patients experiencing severe inflammatory changes in the sigmoid and rectum. Feces are unformed, with abundant mucus and possible blood. Red blood cells, white blood cells, and shed epithelial cells are identified microscopically.