Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 26, 2026

An Intravital Microscopy-Based Approach to Assess Intestinal Permeability and Epithelial Cell Shedding Performance
Published on: December 3, 2020
[Intestinal permeability in patients with viral and alcoholic liver disease]
Jeong Wook Kim1, Woo Kyu Jeon, Jung Won Yun
1Department of Internal Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, College of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Background/Aims:
Increased intestinal permeability has been possible contributing factors to the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease. Moreover, it can contribute to the development of bacterial infection and intestinal endotoxemia in patients with liver cirrhosis. This study aimed to examine the difference of intestinal barrier dysfunction between alcoholic and viral liver disease patients through the comparison of the intestinal permeabilities of patients with clinical characteristics.
Methods:
Intestinal permeabilities were measured in 18 healthy controls, 41 patients with alcoholic liver disease (17 cases of alcoholic liver disease without cirrhosis and 24 cases of alcoholic liver cirrhosis) and 46 patients with viral liver disease (14 cases of chronic viral hepatitis and 32 cases of viral liver cirrhosis) by measuring 24 hour urine excretion of 51Cr-EDTA.
Results:
The intestinal permeability was significantly increased in the patients with alcoholic liver disease without cirrhosis (5.62 +/- 2.80%), alcoholic liver cirrhosis (5.29 +/- 2.48%) and viral liver cirrhosis (3.15 +/- 1.39%) compared with that in control subjects (1.99 +/- 0.53%). On the contrary, it was not increased in the patients with chronic viral hepatitis (2.05 +/- 0.57%) versus controls. The significant correlation was not found between intestinal permeability and clinical and laboratory findings.
Conclusions:
The intestinal permeability was elevated in patients with alcoholic liver disease compared to those with viral liver cirrhosis. The pathophysiology of liver injury secondary to intestinal epithelial damage may be different between alcoholic and viral liver diseases.
Related Concept Videos
Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...
Chronic Pancreatitis II: Pathophysiology
Esophageal Varices-I: Introduction
Diseases of the Liver and Gallbladder
Cirrhosis is characterized by the scarring of hepatic lobules in the liver, which are replaced by fibrous tissue, affecting the liver's normal functioning. NAFLD, on the other hand, is caused by an excessive build-up of fat in the liver, not related to...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Ulcerative Colitis
Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...

