title: Intestinal permeability in children/adolescents with functional dyspepsia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An altered intestinal mucosal barrier has been demonstrated in subsets of patients with IBS and FAP and may be an additional biological factor contributing to symptom generation in children with FD. The objective of this study was to determine if intestinal permeability is increased in children/adolescents with functional dyspepsia (FD) and whether intestinal permeability is correlated with mucosal inflammation and/or symptoms of anxiety or depression in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sugar absorption test was performed in 19 patients with FD and 19 controls. Anxiety and depression were assessed in both groups utilizing a standard questionnaire. In FD patients, duodenal mean and peak mast cell and eosinophil densities were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intestinal permeability as measured by the sugar absorption test did not differ between children with FD and controls. In children with FD, there was no correlation between permeability and mast cell density, eosinophil density, anxiety scores, or depression scores, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pediatric FD does not appear to be associated with increased small bowel intestinal permeability, however, there are some limitations to the current study.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT00363597.
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Neilan
authors.forename: Uttam C
authors.initials: UC
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: Jennifer Verrill
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Schurman
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition, Children's Mercy Hospitals & Clinics, 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA. cfriesen@cmh.edu.
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Friesen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000473:pathology; D010539:Permeability