Table 1.
Methods for the assessment of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity.
| Test | Measured in | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||
| Ex vivo | |||
|
| |||
| Ussing chamber | Small and large intestine | Site specific | Invasive |
|
| |||
| In vivo | |||
|
| |||
| C-reactive protein (CRP) | Serum | Non-invasive | Low sensitivity |
|
| |||
| Inflammatory markers (e.g. cytokines) | Serum | Non-invasive | Non- specific |
|
| |||
| Bacteria metabolic products (e.g. LPS) | Serum | Non-invasive | High sensitivity |
|
| |||
| Fatty acid binding proteins (FABP) | Seum /urine | Non-invasive | |
|
| |||
| Calprotectin and lactoferrin | Feces | Non-invasive | Non-specific |
|
| |||
| Dual sugar test (e.g. mannitol, lactulose) | Urine | Non-invasive | Time consuming |
|
| |||
| Polyethylene glycols (PEG) | Urine | Non-invasive | Time consuming |
| Small and large intestine | |||