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A Racial Difference in Incidence of Lactase Deficiency: Title and subTitle BreakA Survey of Milk Intolerance and Lactase Deficiency in Healthy Adult Males FREE

Theodore M. Bayless, MD; Norton S. Rosensweig, MD
[+] Author Affiliations

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From the Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore 21205.


JAMA. 1966;197(12):968-972. doi:10.1001/jama.1966.03110120074017
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An incidence survey of milk intolerance and lactase deficiency was conducted in 40 healthy nonpatient volunteers. There were 20 Negroes and 20 whites. Nineteen of the 20 Negro subjects and two of the 20 white subjects gave a history of milk intolerance. The majority had noted the onset during or after adolescence. Lactose intolerance occurred in 20 of the 21 milk-intolerant subjects; 18 of the 20 were Negro. There was also a prominent racial difference in the incidence of low levels of intestinal lactase activity. Deficient levels were observed in 70% of the 20 Negroes in contrast to only one of 20 whites. These data strongly favor a genetic etiology for the isolated lactase deficiencies seen so commonly in adults.

REFERENCES

Auricchio, S., et al:  Isolated Intestinal Lactase Deficiency in the Adult , Lancet 2:324-326 ( (Aug 17) ) 1963;.
Dunphy, J.V., et al:  Intestinal Lactase Deficit in Adults , Gastroenterology 49:12-21 ( (July) ) 1965;.
Cuatrecasas, P.; Lockwood, D.H.; and Caldwell, J.R.:  Lactase Deficiency in the Adult , Lancet 1:14-18 ( (Jan 2) ) 1965;.
McMichael, H.B.; Webb, J.; and Dawson, A.M.:  Lactase Deficiency in Adults , Lancet 1:717-720 ( (April 3) ) 1965;.
Haemmerli, U.P., et al:  Acquired Milk Intolerance in the Adult Caused by Lactose Malabsorption Due to a Selective Deficiency in Intestinal Lactase Activity , Amer J Med 38:7-30 ( (Jan) ) 1965;.
Littman, A., and Hammond, J.B.:  Diarrhea in Adults Caused by Deficiency in Intestinal Disaccharidases , Gastroenterology 48: 237-249 ( (Feb) ) 1965;.
Littman, A.:  Isolated Lactase Deficit in the Adult: A Present View , JAMA 195:954-955 ( (March 14) ) 1966;.
Hoffman, W.S.:  A Rapid Photoelectric Method for the Determination of Glucose in Blood and Urine , J Biol Chem 120:51-55 ( (Aug) ) 1937;.
Dahlqvist, A.:  Method for Assay of Intestinal Disaccharidases , Anal Biochem 7:18-25 ( (Jan) ) 1964;.
Peternel, W.W.:  Lactose Tolerance in Relation to Intestinal Lactase Activity , Gastroenterology 48:299-306 ( (March) ) 1965;.
McCabe, T.W.: The Pattern of World Milk Production , Foreign Agriculture Report 83, US Dept of Agriculture, 1955;.
McKusick, V.A.: Human Genetics , Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964;.
Koldovsky, O.; Sunshine, P.; and Kretchmer, N.:  Digestion of Carbohydrates During Postnatal Development , Gastroenterology 50:596-599 ( (April) ) 1966;.
Sunshine, P., and Kretchmer, N.:  Intestinal Disaccharidases: Absence in Two Species of Sea Lions , Science 144:850-851 ( (May 15) ) 1964;.
Semenza, G.; Auricchio, S.; and Rubino, A.:  Multiplicity of Human Intestinal Disaccharidases: I. Chromatographic Separation of Maltases and of Two Lactases , Biochim Biophys Acta 96: 487-497 ( (March 22) ) 1965;.
Sunshine, P., and Kretchmer, N.:  Studies of Small Intestine During Development: III. Infantile Diarrhea Associated With Intolerance to Disaccharides , Pediatrics 34:38-50 ( (July) ) 1964;.
Durand, P.: " Lactose Intolerance ," in Durand, P. (ed.): Disorders Due to Intestinal Defective Carbohydrate Digestion and Absorption , Rome: Pensiero Scientifico, 1964;, pp 131-132.
Plotkin, G.K., and Isselbacher, K.J.:  Secondary Disaccharidase Deficiency in Adult Celiac Disease (Nontropical Sprue) and Other Malabsorption States , New Eng J Med 271:1033-1037 ( (Nov 12) ) 1964;.
Bayless, T.M.; Walters, W.; and Barber, R.:  Disaccharidase Deficiencies in Tropical Sprue , abstracted, Clin Res 12:445 ( (Dec) ) 1964;.
Weser, E., et al:  Lactase Deficiency in Patients With the "Irritable-Colon Syndrome," New Eng J Med 273:1070-1075 ( (Nov 11) ) 1965;.
Cook, G.C., and Kajubi, S.K.:  Tribal Incidence of Lactase Deficiency in Uganda , Lancet 1:725-730 ( (April 2) ) 1966;.

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Auricchio, S., et al:  Isolated Intestinal Lactase Deficiency in the Adult , Lancet 2:324-326 ( (Aug 17) ) 1963;.
Dunphy, J.V., et al:  Intestinal Lactase Deficit in Adults , Gastroenterology 49:12-21 ( (July) ) 1965;.
Cuatrecasas, P.; Lockwood, D.H.; and Caldwell, J.R.:  Lactase Deficiency in the Adult , Lancet 1:14-18 ( (Jan 2) ) 1965;.
McMichael, H.B.; Webb, J.; and Dawson, A.M.:  Lactase Deficiency in Adults , Lancet 1:717-720 ( (April 3) ) 1965;.
Haemmerli, U.P., et al:  Acquired Milk Intolerance in the Adult Caused by Lactose Malabsorption Due to a Selective Deficiency in Intestinal Lactase Activity , Amer J Med 38:7-30 ( (Jan) ) 1965;.
Littman, A., and Hammond, J.B.:  Diarrhea in Adults Caused by Deficiency in Intestinal Disaccharidases , Gastroenterology 48: 237-249 ( (Feb) ) 1965;.
Littman, A.:  Isolated Lactase Deficit in the Adult: A Present View , JAMA 195:954-955 ( (March 14) ) 1966;.
Hoffman, W.S.:  A Rapid Photoelectric Method for the Determination of Glucose in Blood and Urine , J Biol Chem 120:51-55 ( (Aug) ) 1937;.
Dahlqvist, A.:  Method for Assay of Intestinal Disaccharidases , Anal Biochem 7:18-25 ( (Jan) ) 1964;.
Peternel, W.W.:  Lactose Tolerance in Relation to Intestinal Lactase Activity , Gastroenterology 48:299-306 ( (March) ) 1965;.
McCabe, T.W.: The Pattern of World Milk Production , Foreign Agriculture Report 83, US Dept of Agriculture, 1955;.
McKusick, V.A.: Human Genetics , Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964;.
Koldovsky, O.; Sunshine, P.; and Kretchmer, N.:  Digestion of Carbohydrates During Postnatal Development , Gastroenterology 50:596-599 ( (April) ) 1966;.
Sunshine, P., and Kretchmer, N.:  Intestinal Disaccharidases: Absence in Two Species of Sea Lions , Science 144:850-851 ( (May 15) ) 1964;.
Semenza, G.; Auricchio, S.; and Rubino, A.:  Multiplicity of Human Intestinal Disaccharidases: I. Chromatographic Separation of Maltases and of Two Lactases , Biochim Biophys Acta 96: 487-497 ( (March 22) ) 1965;.
Sunshine, P., and Kretchmer, N.:  Studies of Small Intestine During Development: III. Infantile Diarrhea Associated With Intolerance to Disaccharides , Pediatrics 34:38-50 ( (July) ) 1964;.
Durand, P.: " Lactose Intolerance ," in Durand, P. (ed.): Disorders Due to Intestinal Defective Carbohydrate Digestion and Absorption , Rome: Pensiero Scientifico, 1964;, pp 131-132.
Plotkin, G.K., and Isselbacher, K.J.:  Secondary Disaccharidase Deficiency in Adult Celiac Disease (Nontropical Sprue) and Other Malabsorption States , New Eng J Med 271:1033-1037 ( (Nov 12) ) 1964;.
Bayless, T.M.; Walters, W.; and Barber, R.:  Disaccharidase Deficiencies in Tropical Sprue , abstracted, Clin Res 12:445 ( (Dec) ) 1964;.
Weser, E., et al:  Lactase Deficiency in Patients With the "Irritable-Colon Syndrome," New Eng J Med 273:1070-1075 ( (Nov 11) ) 1965;.
Cook, G.C., and Kajubi, S.K.:  Tribal Incidence of Lactase Deficiency in Uganda , Lancet 1:725-730 ( (April 2) ) 1966;.
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