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. 2011:4:555-60.
doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S18349. Epub 2011 Aug 10.

Subjective food hypersensitivity: assessment of enterochromaffin cell markers in blood and gut lavage fluid

Kine Gregersen  1 , Jørgen Valeur, Kristine Lillestøl, Livar Frøyland, Pedro Araujo, Gülen Arslan Lied, Arnold Berstad
Affiliations

Subjective food hypersensitivity: assessment of enterochromaffin cell markers in blood and gut lavage fluid

Kine Gregersen et al. Int J Gen Med. 2011.

Abstract

Background: Food hypersensitivity is commonly suspected, but seldom verified. Patients with subjective food hypersensitivity suffer from both intestinal and extraintestinal health complaints. Abnormalities of the enterochromaffin cells may play a role in the pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate enterochromaffin cell function in patients with subjective food hypersensitivity by measuring serum chromogranin A (CgA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) in gut lavage fluid.

Methods: Sixty-nine patients with subjective food hypersensitivity were examined. Twenty-three patients with inflammatory bowel disease and 35 healthy volunteers were included as comparison groups. CgA was measured in serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Gut lavage fluid was obtained by administering 2 L of polyethylene glycol solution intraduodenally. The first clear fluid passed per rectum was collected and 5-HT was analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Results: Serum levels of CgA were significantly lower in patients with subjective food hypersensitivity than in healthy controls (P = 0.04). No differences were found in 5-HT levels in gut lavage fluid between patients with subjective food hypersensitivity and the control groups. There was no correlation between serum CgA and gut lavage 5-HT.

Conclusion: Decreased blood levels of CgA suggest neuroendocrine alterations in patients with subjective food hypersensitivity. However, 5-HT levels in gut lavage fluid were normal.

Keywords: chromogranin A; food hypersensitivity; gut lavage fluid; liquid chromatography; serotonin.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Serum chromogranin A levels in patients with subjective food hypersensitivity (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 34). Note: Individual values with means ± standard error are displayed and the P value is indicated.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Log-transformed serotonin levels in gut lavage fluid in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (n = 23), subjective food hypersensitivity (n = 67) and controls (n = 17). Note: Individual values with median are displayed. No significant differences between the three groups were observed.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Relationship between serum chromogranin A levels and gut lavage 5-hydroxytriptamine (5-HT) levels in (A) patients (n = 28) with subjective food hypersensitivity and in (B) healthy controls (n = 17). Note: Pearsons’ r and P values are indicated.
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