View clinical trials related to Intestinal Permeability.
Filter by:Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a life-threatening, gastrointestinal emergency characterized by increased intestinal permeability, affects approximately 7 to 10% of infants <1500 g birthweight, and typically occurs within 7 to 14 days of birth. Mortality is as high as 30-50%. Prematurity is the greatest risk factor for the development of NEC due to the physiological immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract and altered or abnormal gut microbiota. Several studies have demonstrated that the initiation of an intense systemic and local inflammatory cascade leads to intestinal necrosis. The human intestine is lined by a single layer of cells exquisitely responsive to multiple stimuli and is populated by a complex climax community of microbial partners. Under normal circumstances, these intestinal cells form a tight but selective barrier to "friends and foes": microbes and most environmental substances are held at bay, but nutrients are absorbed efficiently. Epithelial barrier integrity is itself dynamic and matures over time starting soon after birth, though the mechanisms regulating dynamic permeability are poorly understood. Low birth weight, prematurity, and early postnatal age are associated with a leaky gut. Although intestinal permeability is higher at birth in preterm than term infants, there is usually rapid maturation of the intestinal barrier over the first few days of life in both populations. The investigators hypothesize that increased levels of measures of intestinal permeability (urine lactulose/rhamnose (LA/Rh), and fecal alpha1- antitrypsin will identify infants at high risk for NEC and that intestinal probiotic strains will be associated with intestinal barrier maturation. The purpose of the study is to determine whether clinical factors in combination with non-invasive stool test such as antitrypsin (A1AT) and microbiota composition profile are associated with intestinal permeability determined by excretion of non-metabolized sugar probes in urine (LA/Rh ratio). These studies may lead to a non-invasive screening test to identify preterm infants at risk for NEC.
Chronic, low-grade adipose tissue inflammation is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus. The cause of adipose tissue inflammation has remained largely unclear. We hypothesize that vitamin D deficiency predisposes individuals to the development of adipose tissue inflammation, and that treatment of vitamin D deficient subjects with high dose vitamin D will reduce adipose tissue inflammation.
People with chronic low-grade inflammation have a higher risk for certain diseases such as cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. While it is known that obese people are more likely to show signs of low-grade inflammation than lean individuals, it is unclear what causes this inflammation. In the proposed study, the investigators will examine whether the sugar fructose, when consumed in a sweetened beverage, triggers low-grade inflammation in healthy men and women compared with other caloric sweeteners.
Rationale: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) bacteria adhere to the mucosa of the proximal intestines. There it produces an toxin which presents a local and relevant challenge to the intestines. This is proposed to give an indication of general resistance and/or the local resistance of the intestines. The sequel of events of mucosal inflammation will be characterized in this study. In addition we will evaluate the effects of probiotics by comparing the infection symptoms and by measuring faecal weight and mucus in faeces. Objective: The main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of probiotics on the sequels of ETEC administration as intestinal permeability, inflammation and clinical signs as total faecal output, relative faecal dry weight and mucin excretion in faeces. In addition, the sequels of the mucosal inflammation will be characterized and biomarkers will be searched.
Rationale: Intestinal permeability of subjects can vary depending on their health status. It is therefore important to be able to measure and quantify intestinal permeability in a standardized way. Subjects with intestinal complaints (like irritable bowel disorder) or obese subjects have been found to have increased intestinal permeability. Different physiological conditions might affect intestinal permeability (IP) further. In the clinic, sugar absorption tests and different blood and urine markers have been used to quantify IP. The sugars sucrose, mannitol, sucralose and lactulose are absorbed differently in the small or large intestines, resulting in different sugar levels in urine. This indicates the level of intestinal permeability and the location of increased permeability which is more or less permeable. A high-fat meal could be used as a challenge test to increase IP in subjects even further. After a high fat meal, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) could be co-transported with chylomicrons. Small amounts of LPS co-transit with dietary fat from the gut after a high-fat meal, which thereby increases plasma LPS concentrations. Because of the above mentioned reasons, it could be relevant to determine intestinal permeability and plasma LPS concentration after consumption of a high-fat diet. Different methods will be used to determine the intestinal permeability in lean and obese men, under different conditions. New parameters, like intestinal (I) fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), liver (L)-FABP, LPS and inflammatory markers will be measured and related to outcomes of tests, to examine the relation with intestinal permeability. The association of IP with whole body electrical resistance will be examined, to determine usefulness of a candidate non-invasive method for IP investigation.