Prevalence and correlative-statistical interrelation of the dysfunction of the intestinal mucosal barrier in children with symptoms of the food hypersensitivity

• Main Author: Olga Pakholchuk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: PC Technology Center 2018-07-01
• Series: ScienceRise: Medical Science
• Subjects: харчова гіперчутливість; діти; проникність; мукозальний бар’єр; дисфункція кишкового бар’єру; лактулоза сечі
• Online Access: http://journals.uran.ua/sr_med/article/view/139736
• ISSN: 2519-478X; 2519-4798

Food intolerance (FI) in children is one of the most common manifestations of allergy in early childhood, which is confirmed by the results of many epidemiological studies. Studies have shown that the degree of permeability of the intestinal wall is an important link not only in the pathogenesis of FI, but also in the formation of processes of immune tolerance and maturation of immunity. The aim of the study was to research the prevalence and correlation-statistical relationships of dysfunction of the intestinal barrier in children with symptoms of FI on the skin. Materials and methods. The primary medical documentation of 154 patients (boys - 76 (49.4%), girls - 78 (50.6%)) with symptoms of food allergy on the skin, age 27.56 [12.98; 56.08] months. Results. The number of patients with a positive urine test result for permeability of the intestinal barrier for lactulose was 64.3% (n = 99). Every two children out of three (76.5%, n = 26) with symptoms of FI on the skin before the age of 1 year had signs of increased intercellular transport in the intestinal epithelium, which was manifested by the absorption of lactulose. The normal function of the intestinal barrier had less than half of patients under 3 years old. Out of them, 26.3% (n = 26) are children under the age of 1 year, 48.48% are from 1 year to 3 years old. The permeability of the intestine for the lactulose molecule tended to increase in boys (55.6% vs. 44.4%, χ2 = 2.67, p = 0.10) in early childhood. Among schoolchildren, on the contrary, girls prevailed 57.1% against 42.9% (χ2 = 0.29, р = 0.59). Correlation analysis revealed a reliable relationship between the presence of skin barrier permeability and the age of patients and the age of debut of FI symptoms on the skin (r = -0.25, p <0.05 and r = -0.25, p <0.05), but the lactulose level was not associated with sex and duration of the disease. The level of lactulose was not significantly different in children of different age groups (χ2 = 5.83, df = 4, p = 0.21). Conclusions. Increased intestinal permeability was detected in 64.3% of children with symptoms of FI on the skin, 74% of these patients belong to the age group up to 4 years. The level of lactulose in the urine is not associated with sex, duration of the disease. The feedback of weak connection with age of children and the age of debut of symptoms was revealed.