Effect of hyperbilirubinemia on intestinal permeability in healthy term newborns.
We investigated the effect of serum bilirubin (SB) on intestinal permeability (IP) of healthy, term, birth weight appropriate for gestational age neonates before phototherapy. IP was measured by the dual probe (lactulose/mannitol) sugar absorption test (SAT) performed on the third day of life in 12 healthy jaundiced newborns (total bilirubin 249 +/- 39.75 micromol/L) and compared to that of 12 non-jaundiced newborns (total bilirubin 83.79 + 37.62 micromol/L) matched for sex, gestational age, birth weight and Apgar score. Jaundiced newborns have a significantly higher La/Ma ratio than non-jaundiced (0.31 +/- 0.28 vs. 0.053 +/- 0.043; p < 0.0004). A significant correlation was found between serum bilirubin level and La/Ma ratio (r = 0.56 p < 0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrates a direct effect of UCB on gut epithelial barrier of at-term newborns in whom UCB appears to be responsible for an alteration of IP that theoretically may lead to a passage of macromolecules through the intestinal epithelium increasing the risk of sensitization.
Indrio
Flavia
F
Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology Section, University of Bari, Bari I-70124, Italy. f.indrio@neonatologia.uniba.it
Raimondi
Francesco
F
Laforgia
Nicola
N
Riezzo
Gieuseppe
G
Polimeno
Lorenzo
L
Francavilla
Ruggiero
R
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051556:Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D007792:Lactulose / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008353:Mannitol / Q000652:urine; D010539:Permeability; D047929:Term Birth
D008353:Mannitol; D007792:Lactulose