INTESTINAL BARRIER FUNCTION IN GASTROINTESTINAL FORMS OF FOOD ALLERGY IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the intestinal barrier function in gastrointestinal forms of food allergy in children. Materials and methods: We examined 109 children aged 3 months to 3 years old with a diagnosis of gastrointestinal form of food allergy. Permeability of the intestinal wall was assessed by the method of Petrov et al (Volgograd Medical Academy), and the level of secretory IgA in feces was determined. Results: 25 patients (35%) showed an increase in the permeability of the intestinal wall compared with the control group of healthy children. During spectrophotometry, the ratio of the optical densities of mannitol and lactulose in the samples obtained from patients was negative for FPIES - (-0.15 + 0.008), and for allergic enteropathy (- 0.1 + 0.005.). The sIgA values in the group of children with FPIES are 1.5 times, and with allergic enteropathy they exceeded the norm by 1.6 times. It was found that the higher the sIgA value, the harder the disease progressed. Conclusions: Thus, in FPIES and in allergic enteropathy, an increase in the permeability of the intestinal wall is noted. It is likely that increased intestinal permeability is a direct consequence of the disease or it may be an etiological factor in the development of gastrointestinal food allergy.