Small bowel permeability in diagnosis of celiac disease and monitoring of compliance of a gluten-free diet (gut permeability in celiac disease).
OBJECTIVE
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease with the damage of the intestinal barrier. The aim of study was to measure gut permeability in patients with untreated celiac disease and during treatment with a gluten free diet.


METHODS
30 patients with celiac disease before and during treatment with gluten-free diet were investigated, 30 patients without organic damage of the gastrointestinal tract served as control. Small bowel permeability was measured using lactulose/mannitol and lactulose/D-xylose ratios. The saccharides were examined in the 5 hours collected urine using capillary gas chromatography.


RESULTS
Small bowel permeability (indices lactulose/mannitol and/or lactulose/xylose) increased significantly in patients with untreated celiac disease. 23 patients were followed up before and during treatment with a gluten-free diet 2-6 months after beginning of this treatment and small bowel permeability (measured as indices lactulose/mannitol and/or lactulose/xylose) significantly decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Small bowel permeability test is a non-invasive test suitable for the diagnosis of celiac disease and monitoring of compliance to a gluten-free diet in these patients.
Kohout
P
P
Department of Gerontology and Metabolism, University Teaching Hospital, Hradec Králové. kohout@lfhk.cuni.cz
D000328:Adult; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007792:Lactulose; D008297:Male; D008353:Mannitol; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010539:Permeability; D014994:Xylose
D008353:Mannitol; D007792:Lactulose; D014994:Xylose