Which features are typical of small bowel diarrhea?

Which features are typical of small bowel diarrhea?

• A. Large volume, weight loss, vomiting, melena, steatorrhea
• B. Tenesmus, urgency, mucus, hematochezia, frequent small stools
• C. Urinary signs and weight gain
• D. Frequent small stools with straining

Answer: (A)

Small bowel diarrhea presents with bulky, watery stools due to loss of absorptive function in the small intestine. This often comes with fat malabsorption, producing steatorrhea, and it commonly leads to weight loss because nutrients aren’t absorbed efficiently. Vomiting can occur with more extensive involvement, and melena may appear if there is proximal intestinal bleeding or severe malabsorption-related changes. Taken together, large-volume stools with fat in the stool and weight loss are characteristic features of small bowel disease, which is why this combination fits best. By contrast, tenesmus, urgency, mucus, and hematochezia point more toward colonic disease, and frequent small stools with straining is not typical of primary small bowel diarrhea.

Small bowel diarrhea presents with bulky, watery stools due to loss of absorptive function in the small intestine. This often comes with fat malabsorption, producing steatorrhea, and it commonly leads to weight loss because nutrients aren’t absorbed efficiently. Vomiting can occur with more extensive involvement, and melena may appear if there is proximal intestinal bleeding or severe malabsorption-related changes. Taken together, large-volume stools with fat in the stool and weight loss are characteristic features of small bowel disease, which is why this combination fits best. By contrast, tenesmus, urgency, mucus, and hematochezia point more toward colonic disease, and frequent small stools with straining is not typical of primary small bowel diarrhea.