J Autism Dev Disord (2008) 38:1066–1071
DOI 10.1007/s10803-007-0482-1
ORIGINAL PAPER
Intestinal Permeability and Glucagon-like peptide-2 in Children
with Autism: A Controlled Pilot Study
Marli A. Robertson Æ David L. Sigalet Æ Jens J. Holst Æ Jon B. Meddings Æ
Julie Wood Æ Keith A. Sharkey
Published online: 29 February 2008
Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008
Abstract We measured small intestinal permeability
using a lactulose:mannitol sugar permeability test in a
group of children with autism, with current or previous
gastrointestinal complaints. Secondly, we examined whe-
ther children with autism had an abnormal glucagon-like
peptide-2 (GLP-2) response to feeding. Results were
compared with sibling controls and children without
developmental disabilities. We enrolled 14 children with
M. A. Robertson
Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB,
Canada
M. A. Robertson (&)
Alberta Children’s Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW,
Calgary, AB, Canada T3B 6A8
e-mail: marli.robertson@calgaryhealthregion.ca
D. L. Sigalet
K. A. Sharkey
Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation,
University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
D. L. Sigalet
Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB,
Canada
J. J. Holst
Department of Medical Physiology, University of Copenhagen,
Copenhagen, Denmark
J. B. Meddings
Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB,
Canada
J. Wood
Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Alberta Children’s Hospital,
2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, Canada T3B 6A8
K. A. Sharkey
Department of Physiology and Biophysics,
University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
123
autism, 7 developmentally normal siblings of these chil-
dren and 8 healthy, developmentally normal, unrelated
children. Our study did not detect differences in these
measures of gastrointestinal function in a group of children
with autism.
Keywords Autism
Nutrition
Intestinal permeability

Glucagon-like peptide 2
Introduction
Autism is a complex developmental disorder diagnosed on
the basis of behavioral symptoms that typically appear
during the first 3 years of life. Autism is one of five dis-
orders coming under the umbrella of Pervasive
Developmental Disorders (PDDs) or autistic spectrum
disorders (ASDs). Children with autism typically have
difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social
interactions, and leisure or play activities. The prevalence
of ASDs, has been estimated to be 6.6:1000 with the
prevalence of autism increasing (Blaxill 2004; Chakrabarti
and Fombonne 2005; Charman 2002; Rice 2007). In most
children with autism the etiology is unknown.
Gastrointestinal symptoms are reported to be more
common in children with ASDs although this is somewhat
controversial (Molloy and Manning-Courtney 2003; Horv-
ath et al. 1999; Valicenti-McDermott et al. 2006; Kuddo
and Nelson 2003). Many parents observe that the onset of
gastrointestinal symptoms coincides with early concerns
about their infant’s development. These observations are
consistent with the hypothesis that gastrointestinal dys-
function may be causally related to the development of the
autistic phenotype in some children. In the ‘‘leaky-gut’’