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Intestinal permeability in small children during and after rotavirus diarrhoea assessed with different-size
Insights
Rotavirus diarrhea significantly alters intestinal permeability in children. Urinary recovery of polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules was lower during illness, indicating impaired gut barrier function.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pediatrics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Acute diarrhea in children is a common illness.
- Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe diarrhea in infants and young children.
- Intestinal permeability changes are suspected during viral gastroenteritis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate small intestinal mucosal permeability in children with rotavirus-induced acute diarrhea.
- To compare intestinal permeability during acute illness with that after recovery.
Main Methods:
- Utilized polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules of varying molecular weights (282-1250 Da) as probes.
- Administered PEG mixture orally and measured 6-hour urinary recovery via high-performance liquid chromatography.
- Patients served as their own controls, with measurements taken during acute diarrhea and after recovery (3-5 weeks later).
Main Results:
- Significantly lower urinary recovery of all PEG molecular sizes (326-1206 Da) was observed during acute rotavirus diarrhea compared to the recovery phase (p < 0.001-0.1).
- A higher recovery ratio between larger (1074 Da) and smaller (370 Da) PEG molecules indicated a relatively lesser change in the permeability of larger molecules during infection.
- These findings suggest profound alterations in intestinal permeability during acute rotavirus diarrhea.
Conclusions:
- Acute rotavirus diarrhea is associated with significant changes in small intestinal permeability.
- The gut barrier function is compromised during active rotavirus infection.
- Further research into the mechanisms and clinical implications of altered intestinal permeability in rotavirus gastroenteritis is warranted.
Abstract:
The permeability properties of the small intestinal mucosa was investigated in nine previously healthy children with acute diarrhoea due to rotavirus. The investigation was performed after intake of a mixture in water of polyethyleneglycol molecules (PEG 400 and 1000) ranging from 282 to 1250 dalton in molecular weight. The 6-h urinary recovery of the PEGs was determined with high performance liquid chromatography and used to assess the permeability characteristics of the intestine. The patients served as their own controls and were investigated in the same manner after recovery 3-5 weeks later. A significantly lower urinary recovery of PEG was noted for all molecular sizes (326-1206 dalton) during acute diarrhoea in comparison with the results obtained after recovery (p less than 0.001-0.1). There was also a relatively lesser change in the urinary recovery of larger PEG molecules during infection, as reflected by a higher recovery ratio between 1074 and 370 dalton PEGs. The results indicate profound changes in the permeability characteristics of the intestine during acute rotavirus diarrhoea.