Intestinal barrier function in morbid obesity: results of a prospective study on the effect of sleeve gastrectomy.

Gastroduodenal permeability, but not small intestinal or colonic permeability, is significantly increased in morbidly obese patients. After sleeve gastrectomy, gastroduodenal permeability normalized to values in the range of lean controls. Thus, the proximal gastrointestinal barrier is compromised in morbid obesity and is associated with a proinflammatory intestinal and systemic profile.