title: Gastrointestinal permeability in patients with irritable bowel syndrome assessed using a four probe permeability solution.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abnormal gastrointestinal permeability has been linked to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The lactulose-to-mannitol ratio is traditionally used to assess small intestine permeability while sucralose and sucrose are used to assess colonic and gastric permeability respectively. We used a single 4-probe test solution to assess permeability throughout the gastrointestinal tract in IBS patients and healthy controls by measuring the recovery of the probes in urine after ingestion using a modified liquid chromatography mass spectrometry protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fasting participants (N=59) drank a permeability test solution (100ml: sucralose, sucrose, mannitol, and lactulose). Urine was collected over a 5-h period and kept frozen until analysis. Urinary sugar concentrations were measured using a liquid chromatography/triple quadruple mass spectrometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Colonic permeability was significantly lower in IBS patients when compared to healthy controls (p=0.011). Gastric and small intestinal permeability did not significantly differ between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study demonstrates the clinical potential of this non-invasive method for assessing alterations in gastrointestinal permeability in patients with IBS.
authors: Biobehavioral Branch, Intramural Research Program, NINR, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors: Arseima Y
authors: AY
authors: Del Valle-Pinero
authors: Hendrick E
authors: HE
authors: Van Deventer
authors: Nicolaas H
authors: NH
authors: Fourie
authors: Angela C
authors: AC
authors: Martino
authors: Nayan S
authors: NS
authors: Patel
authors: Alan T
authors: AT
authors: Remaley
authors: Wendy A
authors: WA
authors: Henderson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007792:Lactulose / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008353:Mannitol / Q000652:urine*; D010539:Permeability; D012996:Solutions; D013395:Sucrose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D008353:Mannitol; D007792:Lactulose; D013395:Sucrose; C026285:trichlorosucrose