Question

A patient has a genetic defect that causes

intestinal epithelial cells to produce disaccharidases
of much lower activity than normal. Compared
with a normal person, after eating a bowl
of milk and oatmeal sweetened with table sugar,
this patient will have higher levels of which one
of the following? Choose the one best answer.
(A) Maltose, sucrose, and lactose in the stool
(B) Starch in the stool
(C) Galactose and fructose in the blood
(D) Glycogen in the muscles
(E) Insulin in the blood

Answer 1

The patient with the genetic defect will have higher levels of maltose, sucrose, and lactose in the stool.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient with a genetic defect causing lower activity of disaccharidases will have higher levels of maltose, sucrose, and lactose in the stool compared to a normal person after eating a bowl of milk and oatmeal sweetened with table sugar. This is because the patient's intestinal epithelial cells cannot efficiently break down these disaccharides into their component monosaccharides, resulting in their excretion in the stool.