Abstract
In food allergy the intestinal permeability from the lumen to the gut wall increases, probably due to mucosal damage. No data are available concerning the intestinal permeability from gut wall to lumen (IPGWL). We studied 24 infants (mean age 6 mos; range 4-18) with untreated atopic dermatitis related to food allergy (Rast and/or Prick test positive); 39 healthy infants with at least one atopic parent (mean 1,6 mos;, range 1-4); 25 healthy infants as controls (mean 5,5 mos; range 1-20). As a marker of IPGWL we studied the excretion of endogenous A1AT in random lyophilised fece samples determined by a nephelometric method. Infants with atopic dermatitis showed significantly higher fecal excretion of A1AT than the controls (1,43 ± 0,74 S.D. mg/g dry weight versus 0,74 ± 0,23 S.D. - p<.001). Also in healthy infants with atopic parent(s) the A1AT excretion was significantly increased (1,32±0,88 - p<.001). These babies were followed every three months for the first year of life: 10 of them subsequently became affected with atopic dermatitis. We conclude that in infants with untreated atopic dermatitis there is an increase in IPGWL which seems to begin before the dermatitis develops and could predispose infants to such disease.
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Donzelli, F., Muraro, M., Nichetti, C. et al. 127: ALPHA-1-ANTITRYPSIN (A1AT) FECAL CONCENTRATION IN INFANTS WITH ATOPIC DERMATITIS AND IN HEALTHY INFANTS WITH ATOPIC PARENTS. Pediatr Res 24, 282 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198808000-00152
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198808000-00152