title: Duodenal morphometry and small bowel permeability in children with portal hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We prospectively studied children with portal hypertension (PHT) for portal hypertensive duodenopathy (PHTD) and small bowel intestinal permeability (SIP) with the objectives of defining histopathological parameters for PHTD and to find out whether any association existed among structural changes, SIP, and nutritional status.
  
  
  METHODS
  SIP was assessed by using lactulose and mannitol sugar probes in 31 children with PHT (cirrhosis n = 15 and extrahepatic portal venous obstruction n = 16) and 15 healthy children as controls. Morphometric assessment from duodenal biopsies was done in children with PHT. SIP and morphometric parameters were correlated with nutritional status and dietary intake.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among children with PHT, 48% had PHTD defined as presence of villous atrophy (villous to crypt ratio < 2.5:1), dilated capillaries (capillary diameter > 16.8 μm, capillary area > 151 μm, capillary perimeter > 56 μm), and thickened muscularis mucosae (>22.2 μm). Lactulose excretion alone was increased in children with PHT as compared with healthy children (median %: 0.03, 0.02, and 0.01 for cirrhosis, extrahepatic portal venous obstruction, and controls, respectively [P < 0.01]) signifying increased paracellular permeability in PHT. Children with PHT had significantly lower z scores for height, weight, and triceps skin-fold thickness (<-2SD), whereas no differences were found in dietary intake between patients and controls. Increased SIP, nutritional compromise, and PHTD in our patients had no correlation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PHT is often associated with duodenopathy. SIP does occur as a result of increased paracellular permeability. Factors of increased SIP, undernutrition, and PHTD do not have correlation in childhood PHT.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology †Department of Pathology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences ‡Centre of Biomedical Research, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: Vibhor V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Borkar
authors.forename: Ujjal
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Poddar
authors.forename: Niraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumari
authors.forename: Suruchi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Raja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Surender K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yachha
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001706:Biopsy; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D004378:Duodenal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D004386:Duodenum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002149:Energy Intake; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D007792:Lactulose / Q000378:metabolism; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D008353:Mannitol / Q000378:metabolism; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010539:Permeability; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D008353:Mannitol; D007792:Lactulose