Intestinal permeability in irritable bowel syndrome. Effect of diet and sodium cromoglycate administration
Paganelli, R.; Fagiolo, U.; Cancian, M.; Sturniolo, G.C.; Scala, E.; D'Offizi, G.P.
Annals of Allergy 64(4): 377-380
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-4738 PMID: 2108592 Document Number: 355066
We studied 14 patients with irritable bowel syndrome for the presence of increased intestinal permeability to food antigens and their responses to diet with and without disodium cromoglycate. Aftr a standardized oral challenge with cow milk, serum .beta.-lactoglobulin was increased above control values in three patients. This finding did not correlate with response to hypoallergenic diet or treatment with disodium cromoglycate for 3 weeks. However over 50% of patients improved after diet with and without DSCG (2/5 on diet ony and 5/7 with disodium cromoglycate of 12 evaluable cases). Since only two patients had elevated serum IgE levels, our results suggest that intolerance rather than hypersensitivity to foods may play a role in this disease. The tests we used to identify immunologic mechanisms could not predict which patients would be better on the diet and/or the drug.