Intestinal permeability assessment before and after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis.
OBJECTIVE
Intestinal permeability is considered an index of anatomic and functional integrity of the small intestine mucosa. Altered intestinal permeability has been suggested to be a possible cause of pouchitis. Aim of this paper was to assess variations in intestinal permeability during the first year of a pouch reconstruction.


METHODS
Intestinal permeability (IP) was investigated in 8 ulcerative colitis patients before and after total proctocolectomy, with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA), by means of the cellobiose/mannitol test. To each patient a basal test (before surgery) and 3 more tests during a 1 year follow-up were administered.


RESULTS
Individual data were altered despite clinical findings in 9 of 30 IP measured values. An overall pattern of unaffected permeability was however shown and none of our patients, during the first year follow-up, has developed pouchitis.


CONCLUSIONS
Six of the 8 investigated patients presented at least 1 altered IP value. A longer follow-up aimed to further investigate patients beyond the first year after IPAA confection as to the occurrence of pouchitis and its possible correlation with a previous permeability alteration of the pouch mucosa is in progress.
Secondulfo
M
M
Gastroenterology Unit, F. Magrassi and A. Lanzara Department, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
Riegler
G
G
De Magistris
L
L
Belletta
M
M
Fiandra
R
R
Caserta
L
L
Selvaggi
F
F
Carratù
R
R
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002475:Cellobiose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000601:surgery*; D039021:Colonic Pouches; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008353:Mannitol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D010539:Permeability; D011184:Postoperative Period; D019449:Pouchitis / Q000209:etiology*; D016737:Proctocolectomy, Restorative; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors
D002475:Cellobiose; D008353:Mannitol