title: Intestinal and gastric permeability in children with eosinophilic esophagitis and reflux esophagitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an allergic and immune-mediated entity that leads to a characteristic inflammation of esophageal mucosa. Patients complain of dysphagia and reflux-like symptoms. As many as 80% of patients with EoE may also have a history of atopy, and patients with asthma and eczema have previously been shown to have increased intestinal permeability. This study was designed to assess small intestinal and gastric permeability in patients with EoE and to see whether it differed from healthy individuals and patients with reflux esophagitis (RE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Gastric and small intestinal permeability was measured using sugar probe tests containing lactulose, mannitol, and sucrose. Lactulose-to-mannitol (L/M) ratios in the patient's urine were a measure for intestinal permeability, and total sucrose was a measure for gastric permeability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analyzed samples from 23 patients with EoE, 20 RE, 14 normal upper endoscopy with gastrointestinal symptoms, and 26 healthy controls. All of the 4 groups had L/M ratios less than the upper limit of normal (<0.025). There was no statistically significant difference in gastric permeability between the 4 groups (L/M P = 0.26, sucrose P = 0.46).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that an alteration in gastric and intestinal permeability does not play a role in EoE or RE pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: *Division of Pediatric GI Nutrition, University of Alberta †Women and Children's Health Research Institute ‡Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton §Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Aldrich J T
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Sujata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Persad
authors.forename: Mordechai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slae
authors.forename: Amr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdelradi
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kluthe
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shirton
authors.forename: Ronda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Danchuk
authors.forename: Rabin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Persad
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meddings
authors.forename: Hien Q
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Huynh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D057765:Eosinophilic Esophagitis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism*; D007792:Lactulose / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008353:Mannitol / Q000378:metabolism; D010539:Permeability; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008353:Mannitol; D007792:Lactulose; D013395:Sucrose