Structured Abstract

Contents

• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Executive Summary
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • Results
  • Summary and Discussion
• 1. Introduction
  • Lactase Deficiency
  • Lactose Malabsorption
  • Lactose Intolerance
  • Key Questions Addressed in this Report
• 2. Methods
  • Overview
  • Criteria for Inclusion/Exclusion of Studies in Reviewing and Searching for the Evidence: Literature Search Strategies for Identification of Relevant Studies to Answer the Key Questions
  • Assessment of Methodological Quality of Individual Studies
  • Data Synthesis
  • Grading the Evidence for Each Key Question
• 3. Results
  • Key Question 1: What is the prevalence of lactose intolerance? How does this differ by race, ethnicity, and age?
  • Key Question 2. What are the health outcomes of dairy exclusion diets?
  • Key Question 3: What amount of daily lactose intake is tolerable in subjects with diagnosed lactose intolerance?
  • Key Question 4. What strategies are effective in managing individuals with diagnosed lactose intolerance?
  • Other Strategies
• 4. Discussion
  • Summary and Discussion
  • Key Question 5: What are the future research needs for understanding and managing lactose intolerance?
• References and Included Studies
• List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Appendixes
  • Appendix A Technical Expert Panel Members and Affiliation
  • Appendix B Search Strings
  • Appendix C List of Excluded Studies
  • Appendix D Evidence Tables

Prepared for: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.¹ Contract No. 290-2007-10064-I. Prepared by: Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center, Minneapolis, MN.

Suggested citation:

Wilt TJ, Shaukat A, Shamliyan T, Taylor BC, MacDonald R, Tacklind J, Rutks I, Schwarzenberg SJ, Kane RL, and Levitt M. Lactose Intolerance and Health. No. 192 (Prepared by the Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. HHSA 290-2007-10064-I.) AHRQ Publication No. 10-E004. Rockville, MD. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. February 2010.

This report is based on research conducted by the Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) under contract to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, MD (Contract No. HHSA 290-2007-10064-I). The findings and conclusions in this document are those of the authors, who are responsible for its content, and do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. No statement in this report should be construed as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The information in this report is intended to help clinicians, employers, policymakers, and others make informed decisions about the provision of health care services. This report is intended as a reference and not as a substitute for clinical judgment.

This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for the development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or as a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.

No investigators have any affiliations or financial involvement (e.g., employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties) that conflict with material presented in this report.

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