What is steatorrhea?

Steatorrhea refers to the presence of excess fat in the stool, which is often associated with malabsorption of fats due to various gastrointestinal conditions. In the case of chronic pancreatitis, the pancreas does not produce enough digestive enzymes, particularly lipase, leading to inadequate fat digestion. This results in loose, greasy stools that float and have a particularly foul odor, characteristic of steatorrhea.

The other options describe different gastrointestinal issues but do not accurately reflect steatorrhea. Pale stools can indicate liver failure due to a lack of bile salts, while constipation from opioid use is unrelated to fat absorption. Dark stools are indicative of gastrointestinal bleeding, often from an upper GI source, and are not associated with the presence of excess fat in the stool. Thus, the connection between chronic pancreatitis and the resulting steatorrhea makes the correct choice clear.