malabsorption /mal′əbsôrp″shən/ [L, malus + absorbere, to swallow] , impaired absorption of nutrients from the GI tract. It occurs in celiac disease, sprue, dysentery, diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, and other disorders. It may result from an inborn error of metabolism, malnutrition, or any chemical or anatomical condition of the digestive system that prevents normal absorption. See also inborn error of metabolism, malnutrition.
