Reduced intestinal permeability measured by differently sized polyethylene glycols in acute uremic rats

The effect of experimental acute renal failure on the intestinal permeability measured by differently sized polyethylene glycols (PEG) was studied in rats. The permeability was assessed by analysing the 24-hour urinary recovery of PEG molecules (size 326-1,162 D). Acute renal failure was induced by clamping the left renal artery and right-sided nephrectomy. The overall urinary recovery of PEG was decreased in the uremic rats. However, the relative recovery of larger molecules (range 590-1,162 D) was further reduced in the uremic rats. The results which are compared with a computer simulation by a multicompartment model, suggest that the intestinal permeability especially towards larger PEG is decreased in acute uremic rats.