Differential effects of dietary fibres on colonic barrier function in elderly individuals with gastrointestinal symptoms

Gastrointestinal problems are common in elderly and often associated with psychological distress and increased levels of corticotrophin-releasing hormone, a hormone known to cause mast cell (MC) degranulation and perturbed intestinal barrier function. We investigated if dietary fibres (non-digestible polysaccharides [NPS]) could attenuate MC-induced colonic hyperpermeability in elderly with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Colonic biopsies from elderly with diarrhoea and/or constipation (n = 18) and healthy controls (n = 19) were mounted in Ussing chambers and pre-stimulated with a yeast-derived beta (beta)-glucan (0.5 mg/ml) or wheat-derived arabinoxylan (0.1 mg/ml) before the addition of the MC-degranulator Compound (C) 48/80 (10 ng/ml). Permeability markers were compared pre and post exposure to C48/80 in both groups and revealed higher baseline permeability in elderly with GI symptoms. beta-glucan significantly attenuated C48/80-induced hyperpermeability in elderly with GI symptoms but not in healthy controls. Arabinoxylan reduced MC-induced paracellular and transcellular hyperpermeability across the colonic mucosa of healthy controls, but did only attenuate transcellular permeability in elderly with GI symptoms. Our novel findings indicate that NPS affect the intestinal barrier differently depending on the presence of GI symptoms and could be important in the treatment of moderate constipation and/or diarrhoea in elderly

Lipid management in patients with chronic kidney disease.

An increased risk of cardiovascular disease, independent of conventional risk factors, is present even at minor levels of renal impairment and is highest in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring dialysis. Renal dysfunction changes the level, composition and quality of blood lipids in favour of a more atherogenic profile. Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) or ESRD have a characteristic lipid pattern of hypertriglyceridaemia and low HDL cholesterol levels but normal LDL cholesterol levels. In the general population, a clear relationship exists between LDL cholesterol and major atherosclerotic events. However, in patients with ESRD, LDL cholesterol shows a negative association with these outcomes at below average LDL cholesterol levels and a flat or weakly positive association with mortality at higher LDL cholesterol levels. Overall, the available data suggest that lowering of LDL cholesterol is beneficial for prevention of major atherosclerotic events in patients with CKD and in kidney transplant recipients but is not beneficial in patients requiring dialysis. The 2013 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical Practice Guideline for Lipid Management in CKD provides simple recommendations for the management of dyslipidaemia in patients with CKD and ESRD. However, emerging data and novel lipid-lowering therapies warrant some reappraisal of these recommendations