HPLC DETERMINATION OF POLYETHYLENE-GLYCOL-400 IN URINE - OLIGOMERIC PROFILE IN HEALTHY AND CELIAC-DISEASE SUBJECTS

The absorption of orally administered polyethylene glycol (PEG) has be en used to assess intestinal permeability. We describe a simple HPLC t echnique to determine the oligomeric profile of PEG excreted in urine. We measured the total (%) PEG excreted in 6 h and the ratio of the fo ur smallest oligomers to the three largest oligomers (expressed as mea n percentages). The proposed method differentiates distinct groups of subjects with varying degrees of intestinal permeability detected by i ntestinal biopsy. The percent of PEG excreted and the oligomer ratio v alues for healthy subjects were, respectively, 30.1 +/- 3.87 and 0.35 +/- 0.03; for celiac patients on a gluten-free diet, 24.5 +/- 6.65 and 0.45 +/- 0.16; and for celiac patients, 15.0 +/- 5.93 and 1.12 +/- 0. 55.