Association Between High Faecal Calprotectin, Increased Intestinal Permeability and Visceral Hypersensitivity in IBS-D Patients

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional disorder which affect around 10% of the general population. Abdominal pain and discomfort are associated with transit disorders (diarrhea, constipation, alternating). IBS is defined by Rome III criteria.

For clinicians, IBS remains difficult to treat while its pathophysiology remains not completely understood. Visceral hypersensitivity, low grade inflammation and increased intestinal permeability are three abnormalities found in IBS patients. Visceral hypersensitivity is present in 60% of the patients, while intestinal permeability is increased in a subgroup of IBS with diarrhea. Low grade inflammation could be identify with faecal calprotectin dosage. The link between this three abnormalities is not clear.

The goal of our study is to describe the prevalence of these three abnormalities in IBS-Diarrhea population and to look for a correlation between low grade inflammation, visceral hypersensitivity, increased intestinal permeability and clinical phenotypes.

Inclusion criteria

• IBS-Diarrhoea according to Rome III criteria,
• Faecal calprotectin ≤200 µg/g in the last two months
• Effective contraception since 1 month for women in childbearing age

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with organic and/or inflammatory digestive disease
• IBS with constipation or alternating
• Treatment such as anti-inflammatory, probiotic in the last three months
• Patient with blood dyscrasia disorder known or identified , anticoagulant or antiplatelet treatments
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (identified by a glucose breath test)
• Hypersensitivity to Normacol
• Severe renal failure
• Anal pathology (anal fissure, hemorrhoidal thrombosis)
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Person with administrative or judicial decision or under legal protection measure
• Patient participating in another trial in the last two weeks
• Diet based in grapes