Increased gastrointestinal permeability and gut inflammation in children with functional abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To determine gastrointestinal (GI) permeability and fecal calprotectin concentration in children 7 to 10 years of age with functional abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome (FAP/IBS) versus control subjects and ascertain potential relationships with pain symptoms and stooling.


METHODS
GI permeability and fecal calprotectin concentration were measured. Children kept a 2-week diary of pain episodes and stooling pattern.


RESULTS
Proximal GI permeability was greater in the FAP/IBS group (n = 93) compared with control subjects (n = 52) (0.59 +/- 0.50 vs 0.36 +/- 0.26, respectively; mean +/- SD; P < .001) as was colonic permeability (1.01 +/- 0.67 vs 0.81 +/- 0.43, respectively; P < .05). Gastric and small intestinal permeability were similar. Fecal calprotectin concentration was greater in children with FAP/IBS compared with control children (65.5 +/- 75.4 microg/g stool vs 43.2 +/- 39.4, respectively; P < .01). Fecal calprotectin concentration correlated with pain interference with activities (P = .01, r(2) = 0.36). There was no correlation between GI permeability and pain related symptoms. Neither permeability nor fecal calprotectin correlated with stool form.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with FAP/IBS have evidence of increased GI permeability and low-grade GI inflammation, with the latter relating to the degree to which pain interferes with activities.
Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. rshulman@bcm.edu
Robert J
RJ
Shulman
Michelle N
MN
Eakin
Danita I
DI
Czyzewski
Monica
M
Jarrett
Ching-Nan
CN
Ou
D015746:Abdominal Pain; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005243:Feces; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010539:Permeability; D012044:Regression Analysis
D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex