Gastro-intestinal permeability is increased in patients with limited systemic sclerosis.

Objective: to evaluate gastro-intestinal (GI) permeability in patients with limited systemic sclerosis (LSS) at baseline and after oral acetylsalicylic acid (ASA).

Methods: 13 patients with LSS and 10 controls were studied. Baseline GI permeability was assessed with orally administered sucrose, mannitol, and lactulose. Gastric lesions and Helicobacter status were investigated by endoscopy. In 5 patients and 6 controls (with normal baseline permeability) the GI permeability response was assessed after oral ASA.

Results: compared with controls, gastric (p<0.05) and intestinal (p<0.02) permeability was higher in LSS patients, at baseline. After oral ASA gastric permeability (sucrose) increased in both groups (controls: 186%, LSS: 265%), whereas the lactulose/mannitol ratio raised significantly only in LSS (+31% and +148%; p<0.05 vs controls).

Conclusions: baseline permeability is altered in LSS; the exaggerated response of the small intestine to ASA may represent a genetically determined or a disease-related dysfunction of the mucosal barrier.