Chonnam Med J.  2008 Aug;44(2):87-92. 10.4068/cmj.2008.44.2.87.

Assessment of Intestinal Permeability Using Polyethylene Glycol in Liver Cirrhosis with Ascites

• Han MJ
• Lee S
• Lim JK
• Lee HM
• Han MS
• Kim WJ
• Park IH
• Son SC

• KMID: 2045755
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4068/cmj.2008.44.2.87

Abstract

Increased intestinal permeability and endotoxemia have been implicated in pathogenesis, progression and development of complications of liver cirrhosis (LC). No study has thus far been reported in Korea on the assessment of intestinal permeability using polyethylene glycol (PEG). The aim of this study was to determine whether intestinal permeability is altered in LC and correlated with clinical characteristics. 65 patients with LC and 26 healthy control subjects were studied. The intestinal permeability value is expressed as the percentage of retrieved PEG 400 and 3350 that had been orally administered in 8-hr urine samples as determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The causes of liver cirrhosis were alcohol (n=38), virus (HBV 17, HCV 9) (n= 26) and alcohol combined with HBV (n=1). Mean values for PEG 400 and 3350 retrieval were 46.5+/-3.22 and 0.24+/-0.03 in controls, 44.1+/-5.17 and 0.21+/-0.02 in LC without ascites, and 37.4+/-3.55 and 0.29+/-0.04 in LC with ascites, respectively. Intestinal permeability index (IPI) was significantly higher in LC with ascites than in healthy controls or LC without ascites (0.84+/-0.21 vs. 0.52+/-0.05 or 0.54+/-0.04, p<0.05). A sub-analysis relating intestinal permeability to the Child-Pugh class of LC showed significant differences between class A , B and C for PEG 3350 and IPI (p<0.05). According to sub-analysis relating IPI to the presence of encephalopathy, hypoalbuminemia of LC, there were significant differences (p<0.05), but not for patients as indicated by prolonged prothrombin time, esophageal varix or hyperbilirubinemia. The present study suggests that increased intestinal permeability is probably of importance in the pathophysiology and progression of liver cirrhosis with ascites.

Keyword

Permeability; Polyethylene glycol; Liver cirrhosis

MeSH Terms

Ascites
Chromatography, Liquid
Endotoxemia
Esophageal and Gastric Varices
Humans
Hyperbilirubinemia
Hypoalbuminemia
Korea
Liver
Liver Cirrhosis
Permeability
Polyethylene
Polyethylene Glycols
Prothrombin Time
Viruses
Polyethylene
Polyethylene Glycols

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 HPLC chromatogram of urine of cirrhotic patient with ascites.

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