Small intestinal permeability to mannitol and lactulose in the three ethnic groups resident in west Birmingham.

Abstract

Background/Aims-Asymptomatic resi-

Geography of intestinal permeability and absorption

“…In Sudan, increased intestinal lactulose/mannitol permeation was found in 10 apparently healthy residents compared with 33 normal subjects from the UK26; in Israel,28 a wide range of 51 Cr-EDTA permeation was found in control subjects which may reflect the presence of tropical enteropathy in the Middle East. Asymptomatic subjects from India and the Carribean resident in Birmingham, UK, showed a higher lactulose/mannitol excretion than resident white subjects,23 which accorded with intestinal morphology 22. As the ethnic groups mentioned were not studied while resident in both temperate and tropical countries, comparisons required to establish the aetiological importance of ethnic versus geographical factors were not possible.…”

Effects of five different drinks on patients with Crohn's disease

“…publications on increased intestinal permeability in cases with Crohn's disease is contradicted by others [5].…”

“…In 1996, Iqbal et al [5] reported that the lactulose/mannitol excretion ratio (LMER) in white healthy subjects was 0.022 (median). This was similar in comparable dyspeptic white patients but it was different in Indian (0.031) and Afro-Caribbean (0.033) patients with dyspepsia.…”

Role of Intestinal Permeability in Monitoring Mucosal Barrier Function

“…Normally, an intact intestinal epithelial barrier will not allow molecules as large as albumin to pass, and the endothelial barrier would also partly restrict this. However, in conditions where the intestinal barrier integrity may be injured, endothelial and epithelial permeability could be increased, whereby studies on intestinal barrier function are needed [140]. …”

“…From the 1980s, the separate role of endothelial and epithelial barriers in intestinal permeability has been investigated. Macromolecular- and micromolecular-sized markers were used to separately assess intestinal endothelial and epithelial barrier permeability, but the optimal method to be used in the clinical situation has yet not been found [140]. …”