Intestinal absorption area is correlated with cardiovascular risk factors associated with obesity and metabolic...

This study aimed to evaluate if the intestinal permeability is associated with overweight/obesity with or without metabolic syndrome (MetS) and correlate intestinal permeability parameters with cardiovascular risk factors.

This was a cross-sectional study that individuals were divided in three groups: 1) controls (n = 34), 2) overweight/obesity (n = 29), and 3) overweight/obesity + MetS (n = 29). Anthropometric and blood biochemical parameters were used to estimate cardiovascular risk factors. Intestinal permeability was evaluated using the lactulose/mannitol test in urine samples analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Pulsed Amperometry Detection. Correlations between intestinal permeability and anthropometric and biochemical parameters were evaluated using Spearman's correlations (r²). Logistic regression models were performed to elucidate variables associated with intestinal permeability parameters. The percentage of urinary excretion of lactulose, mannitol, and the lactulose/mannitol ratio was similar between the studied groups. The percentage of urinary mannitol excretion was positively associated with diastolic blood pressure (r² = 0.24, p = 0.23), fasting glucose (r² = 0.26, p = 0.013), fasting insulin (r² = 0.25, p = 0.015) and HOMA-IR (r² = 0.26, p = 0.012). The logistic regression showed fasting insulin was associated with a higher mannitol urinary excretion (AOR = 1.08, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.14).

Intestinal permeability was not disrupted in overweight/obesity and MetS, however the results suggest that the increased cardiovascular risk factors were associated with a higher intestinal absorption area. Further studies should investigate other intestinal parameters related to overweight/obesity and MetS in humans.