Gastro-intestinal permeability is increased in patients with limited systemic sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
to evaluate gastro-intestinal (GI) permeability in patients with limited systemic sclerosis (LSS) at baseline and after oral acetylsalicylic acid (ASA).


METHODS
13 patients with LSS and 10 controls were studied. Baseline GI permeability was assessed with orally administered sucrose, mannitol, and lactulose. Gastric lesions and Helicobacter status were investigated by endoscopy. In 5 patients and 6 controls (with normal baseline permeability) the GI permeability response was assessed after oral ASA.


RESULTS
compared with controls, gastric (p<0.05) and intestinal (p<0.02) permeability was higher in LSS patients, at baseline. After oral ASA gastric permeability (sucrose) increased in both groups (controls: 186%, LSS: 265%), whereas the lactulose/mannitol ratio raised significantly only in LSS (+31% and +148%; p<0.05 vs controls).


CONCLUSIONS
baseline permeability is altered in LSS; the exaggerated response of the small intestine to ASA may represent a genetically determined or a disease-related dysfunction of the mucosal barrier.
Catanoso
M
M
Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Terapia Medica, Policlinico Universitario, Università di Messina, Italy.
Lo Gullo
R
R
Giofré
M R
MR
Pallio
S
S
Tortora
A
A
Lo Presti
M
M
Frisina
N
N
Bagnato
G
G
Fries
W
W
D000328:Adult; D001241:Aspirin; D004064:Digestive System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013395:Sucrose / Q000652:urine; D014510:Urease / Q000032:analysis
D013395:Sucrose; D014510:Urease; D001241:Aspirin