Abstract

Background/Aims
The changes of intestinal permeability have been investigated in patients with chronic liver disease such as alcoholic liver disease. However, the changes of intestinal permeability had not been reported in patients with acute hepatitis except acute hepatitis A. This study aimed to investigate the changes of intestinal permeability and examine correlations between the intestinal permeability and clinical characteristics in patients with acute hepatitis. Methods: The intestinal permeability were measured in 15 normal heathy controls, 30 patients with acute hepatitis (acute hepatitis B 15 , acute toxic hepatitis 15) by measuring 24 hour urine excretion of ⁵¹Cr-EDTA (⁵¹Cr-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) for evaluation of the gut barrier dysfunction. We compared the intestinal permeability with clinical characteristics of patients. Results: The increase in intestinal permeability in patients with acute hepatitis B was more higher than patients with acute toxic hepatitis (p＜0.05). The increase in intestinal permeability showed significant correlation with erythrocyte sedimentation rate and prothrombin time (p＜0.05). Conclusions: The increase in intestinal permeability was more in patients with acute hepatitis B than acute toxic hepatitis and may be related to erythrocyte sedimentation rate and prothrombin time. (Intest Res 2005;3:74-79)

• Keywords: Permeability, intestine; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis, toxic; Prothrombin time; Erythrocyte sedimentation rate