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Intestinal permeability to [51Cr]EDTA in infectious diarrhea

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Abstract

Orally administered [51Cr]EDTA was used to measure intestinal permeability in subjects with infectious diarrhea and in those without gastrointestinal complaints. [51Cr]EDTA was given to 87 subjects: 63 controls (32 normal controls, and 31 disease controls), and 24 patients with infectious diarrhea. Approximately 100 μCi of [51Cr]EDTA was given orally after an overnight fast. Urine was collected for the following 24 hr. Intestinal permeability to [51Cr]EDTA in both normal volunteers and in patients with a variety of diseases not associated with intestinal injury was low and results were in a relatively narrow range. Mean 24-hr urinary excretion of [51Cr]EDTA, calculated as a percent of the administered dose, in controls was 1.6% (0.2–3.5%). Patients with infectious diarrhea associated with invasive pathogens and/or intestinal inflammation had increased excretion of [51Cr]EDTA (mean 6.1%,P<0.0001), with elevated excretions in 75%. These results demonstrate that intestinal infections must be considered as possible causes for increased intestinal permeability as assessed by the [51Cr]EDTA test.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology, Departments of Medicine and Pathology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 4800 Alberta Avenue, 79905, El Paso, Texas

    Marc J. Zuckerman MD, Mark T. Watts PhD, Bankim D. Bhatt MD & Hoi Ho MD

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  1. Marc J. Zuckerman MD
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  2. Mark T. Watts PhD
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  3. Bankim D. Bhatt MD
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  4. Hoi Ho MD
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Zuckerman, M.J., Watts, M.T., Bhatt, B.D. et al. Intestinal permeability to [51Cr]EDTA in infectious diarrhea. Digest Dis Sci 38, 1651–1657 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01303174

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01303174

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