Related Experiment Videos
Intestinal permeability and absorptive capacity in children with portal hypertension
R M Taylor1, I Bjarnason, P Cheeseman
1Paediatric Liver Services, Paediatric Surgery, King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, UK.
Insights
Children with portal hypertension show reduced intestinal absorptive capacity. Liver disease exacerbates this, leading to increased intestinal permeability and potential malnutrition in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Hepatology
- Intestinal Physiology
Background:
- Portal hypertension is linked to intestinal dysfunction and malnutrition in children with liver disease.
- Investigating absorptive capacity and intestinal barrier function in children with portal hypertension is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess absorptive capacity and intestinal permeability in children with portal hypertension.
- To determine if these intestinal abnormalities correlate with body composition changes.
Main Methods:
- Studied 26 children with portal hypertension (intrahepatic and prehepatic) and 35 controls.
- Utilized sugar absorption/permeability tests and anthropometric measurements.
- Analyzed differential urinary excretion of specific sugars.
Main Results:
- Reduced excretion of 3-O-methyl-D-glucose, D-xylose, and L-rhamnose in both patient groups.
- Significantly increased intestinal permeability (melibiose/rhamnose excretion) in the intrahepatic group.
- Low Z scores in anthropometric measurements, with no significant correlation to sugar excretion or energy intake.
Conclusions:
- Elevated portal pressure impairs small intestine absorptive capacity.
- Liver disease contributes to increased intestinal permeability in pediatric patients.
Background:
Portal hypertension may affect intestinal function leading to malnutrition in children with liver disease. The aim was to determine whether children with portal hypertension with or without liver disease had impaired absorptive capacity and intestinal barrier function (intestinal permeability) and to ascertain whether these abnormalities related to changes in body composition.
Methods:
Twenty-six children with portal hypertension were divided according to aetiology into: Group 1 intrahepatic (n = 15) and Group 2 prehepatic (n = 11). Thirty-five children acted as controls. Carbohydrate absorption and intestinal permeability were assessed using a sugar absorption/permeability test and a variety of anthropometric measurements were obtained.
Results:
3-O-methyl-D-glucose, D-xylose and L-rhamnose excretion were significantly reduced in both patient groups compared to controls (P < or = 0.008) and the differential urinary excretion of melibiose/rhamnose (intestinal permeability) was significantly increased in Group 1 only (P < 0.05). Anthropometric measurements showed low Z scores in both groups, but there was no significant (P > 0.05) difference between them. There was no significant correlation between urinary excretion of sugars. anthropometric measurements and energy intake.
Conclusions:
Increased portal pressure reduces the absorptive capacity of the small intestine, while liver disease itself leads to increased intestinal permeability.