The changes of intestinal permeability in patients with mild acute pancreatitis

Background : Many studies in severe acute pancreatitis have demonstrated an increase in intestinal permeability, but not in mild acute pancreatitis. The current methods to measure intestinal permeability need much time and also laborious work. Therefore, we investigate the changes of intestinal permeability in patients with mild acute pancreatis and clinical predictive factor for the intestinal permeability in patients with acute pancreatitis. Methods : The intestinal permeability were measured in 14 normal heathy controls, 41 patients with mild acute pancreatitis (alcoholic 14, biliary 12, idiopathic 15) by measuring 24 hour urine excretion of 51 Cr-EDTA ( 51 Cr-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) for evaluation of the gut barrier dysfunction. We compared the intestinal permeability with clinical characteristics of patients. Results : The intestinal permeability was significantly increased in patients with mild acute pancreatitis (6.01±4.11%, p<0.001) versus control subjects (1.86±0.52%). There was no significant difference in the intestinal permeability among the patients with alcoholic, biliary and idiopathic pancreatitis. The correlation was not found between intestinal permeability and clinical characteristics in patients with mild acute pancreatitis. Conclusions : The intestinal permeability is increased in patients with mild acute pancreatitis regardless of etiology of pancreatitis. The predictive factor for gut barrier dysfunction is not detected in patients with mild acute pancreatitis.(Korean J Med 71:38-44, 2006)