Which term describes oily, bulky stools seen in cystic fibrosis due to fat malabsorption?

• A. Melena
• B. Diarrhea
• C. Hematochezia
• D. Steatorrhea

Answer: (D)

Fat malabsorption leads to steatorrhea, which is exactly what you see in cystic fibrosis when pancreatic enzyme production is insufficient. In CF, thick secretions block the pancreatic ducts, reducing lipase delivery to the intestine, so fats aren’t digested and end up in the stool. The result is oily, bulky stools that float, are pale, and have a foul odor because they contain unabsorbed fat. This specific stool pattern—fat in the stool—best describes the oily, bulky stools seen with fat malabsorption.

Other stool descriptions point to different problems. Melena describes black, tarry stools from digested blood in the upper GI tract; hematochezia is fresh or bright red blood per rectum, usually from lower GI bleeding; diarrhea simply means frequent or loose stools and doesn’t specify fat content. The key idea is that steatorrhea is the hallmark descriptor for fat malabsorption like that seen in CF.