Mysterious coprogram

Educational program

During the examination, I was prescribed not only blood and urine tests, which were already familiar, but also some kind of coprogram. Why is this analysis needed and what can it tell us?

Elizaveta Semenovna, 65 years old, Tyumen

Educational program

A coprogram is a general analysis of stool. It needs to be done regularly even for absolutely healthy people. It is prescribed unscheduled for stool problems, poor appetite, regular bloating, etc.

The coprogram provides information about the appearance of feces, the digestion of certain food components, and the presence of pathological impurities. It allows you to evaluate the functioning of the digestive system and the body as a whole.

Let's understand the indicators

Quantity

The norm for a child is 15–20 g at a time and up to 90 g per day, for an adult – 100–200 g once or twice a day. It is also considered normal if a person goes to the toilet “a lot” every other day, but regularly and without experiencing discomfort.

A decrease indicates constipation, and a large amount indicates a disruption in the flow of bile or insufficient digestion in the small intestine, which is characteristic of inflammatory processes.

Consistency

Normally, in a healthy adult, the feces are quite dense and well-formed.

Pasty stools are observed when the secretion of the pancreas is impaired and there is a lack of bile flow.

Pasty stools can be caused by colitis, fermentative dyspepsia, and impaired evacuation from the colon.

Sheep feces, that is, small hard lumps, are most often a sign of colitis with constipation. Foamy stools are characteristic of fermentative dyspepsia and intestinal infections. Liquid is observed with diarrhea and insufficient digestion in the intestines.

Color

Normally, stool is brown in color.

Black or tarry stools indicate internal gastrointestinal bleeding.

Light brown coloring is characteristic of accelerated evacuation from the colon.

Dark brown stool can be observed with colitis with constipation, increased secretory function of the colon, putrefactive dyspepsia and insufficiency of gastric digestion.

Reddish stools can occur with colitis with ulcerations, with hemorrhoids and rectal fissures. In this case, the red color is uneven, inclusions are observed.

Yellow stools occur with digestive disorders in the small intestine, fermentative dyspepsia and peristalsis disorders.

Light yellow stool is characteristic of pancreatic insufficiency.

Discolored indicates a lack of bile entering the intestines.

Smell

Normally, stool has a mild, characteristic fecal odor.

The stench is observed when there is a violation of the secretion of the pancreas, increased secretion of the glands of the large intestine and a lack of bile flow. A putrid odor is characteristic of colitis with constipation, putrefactive dyspepsia, insufficiency of gastric digestion and weak intestinal motility. A sour smell occurs with fermentative dyspepsia.

Reaction

Normally, stool has a neutral reaction.

A slightly alkaline reaction occurs when there is insufficient digestion in the small intestine.

An alkaline reaction is characteristic of indigestion in the stomach, colitis, constipation, and increased secretory function of the colon.

A sharply alkaline reaction is a sign of putrefactive dyspepsia.

A sharply acidic reaction indicates fermentation processes in the intestines.

Stercobilin

In the stool of a healthy person, stercobilin (a pigment formed as a result of the processing of hemoglobin) is normally present in an amount of 40–280 mg. Its increase indicates hemolytic anemia (diseases based on increased breakdown of erythrocytes - red blood cells). A decrease in stercobilin in feces indicates parenchymal hepatitis (inflammation of liver cells) or inflammation of the biliary tract.

Bilirubin

Normally, there should be no bilirubin (bile pigment) in the stool. Its appearance indicates accelerated intestinal motility and evacuation of food from the intestines. The same analysis is observed in people who have been taking antibacterial and sulfonamide drugs for a long time.

Soluble protein

Normally, it should not be present in a stool analysis. The appearance indicates inflammatory processes in the intestines, putrefactive dyspepsia or ulcerative colitis.

Muscle fibers

Normally they are absent or present in small quantities.

An increase in level indicates insufficient digestion of meat foods, fermentative dyspepsia, constipation, and colitis with ulcerations. This is also possible with increased pancreatic secretion, lack of bile flow into the intestines and insufficient digestion in the small intestine.

Connective tissue fibers

Normally there are none. The presence indicates indigestion in the stomach and pancreatic insufficiency.

Neutral fat

There should be no neutral fat in the feces of a healthy person. Its detection indicates an insufficient flow of bile into the intestines, a violation of pancreatic secretion and digestion in the small intestine.

Soap

Normally available in small quantities. Complete absence indicates fermentative dyspepsia or disruption of the pancreas.

Starch

It shouldn't be normal. Its appearance indicates problems with the pancreas, indigestion in the stomach and putrefactive dyspepsia.

Undigested fiber

Its presence in feces indicates putrefactive dyspepsia, digestive disorders in the stomach and small intestine. And also about the lack of bile supply and insufficient secretion of the pancreas. This indicator is also observed in colitis with ulcerations and accelerated evacuation from the large intestine.

Mucus

Its detection indicates increased secretory activity of the large intestine, colitis, constipation, fermentative and putrefactive dyspepsia.

Red blood cells

Their appearance indicates bleeding. They are found in polyps and fissures of the rectum, hemorrhoids and colitis with ulcerations.

Leukocytes

Normally, the presence of single leukocytes is allowed. A large number of them (more than 10) indicates an inflammatory process in the intestines, for example, ulcerative colitis or dysentery.

Thus, by regularly taking a coprogram, you will be able to observe the work of the gastrointestinal tract as a whole and each of its organs in particular. This is important for early diagnosis and prevention of many unpleasant diseases. Keep everything under control and stay healthy!