INCREASED COLONIC PERMEABILITY IN PATIENTS WITH ULCERATIVE-COLITIS - AN IN-VITRO STUDY

Background: Colonic permeability was studied in vitro in patients subj ected to colectomy because of ulcerative colitis and in control patien ts undergoing colonic resections for cancer. Methods: The mucosal laye r from fresh colonic segments was stripped and mounted in Ussing diffu sion chambers containing modified Krebs buffer solution. The mucosa to serosa passage of the marker molecules C-14-mannitol and ovalbumin wa s measured for 120 min. Results: Marker passage was significantly incr eased in colitis patients compared viith cont-ol patients, irrespectiv e of age, sex, duration of disease, and treatment. Marker passage was further increased in patients with acute colitis. The increased coloni c permeability may be explained by inflammation and the resultant loss of mucosal integrity. The increased permeability to ovalbumin implies that permeability to luminal macromolecules. such as bacterial produc ts and other antigenic substances: might be increased in colitis. Conc lusions: The results suggest a derangement of the colonic barrier, as evidenced by an increased mucosal permeability in both chronic and acu te colitis.