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Background/Aim: Acute pancreatitis (AP) in elderly patients in spite of similar occurrence of local complications is followed by a substantial increase in multiple organ failure possibly due to increased bacterial translocation. Intestinal mucosal barrier may be damage with increased permeability promoting bacterial translocation. Intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), a 15-kd protein located at the intestinal mucosa may leak out of damaged intestinal mucosal cells to the peripheral circulation. Therefore, plasma levels of I-FABP may be an indication of bacterial translocation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of aging on intestinal damage, bacterial translocation, and organ failures in AP.
Methods: AP was induced in male Wistar rats by intraductal 2.5% taurocholate injection and divided into 2 experimental groups: GI (n=20): Young (3 month old rats), and GII (n=20): Older (18 month old rats). Two and 24 hours after AP blood were collected for determinations of plasma ileal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), and biochemical markers: amylase, AST, ALT, urea, creatinine, and glucose. Pulmonar myeloperoxidade (MPO) activity was also performed. Bacterial translocation was evaluated by bacterial cultures of pancreas expressed in colony-forming units (CFU) per gram.
Results A significant increase in serum amylase, AST, ALT, urea, creatinine, and I-FABP levels was observed in the older group compared to the young group (p<0.05). Pulmonar myeloperoxidade (MPO) activity was also increased in the older group compared to the young group (p<0.05). Compared to young rats, rate of positive bacterial cultures obtained from pancreas cultures in the older rats was significantly increased.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that aging is associated to an increased distant organ damaged and bacterial translocation, and that plasma level of I-FABP is an important marker of bacterial translocation.