The role of the gut in migraine: the oral 51-Cr EDTA test in recurrent abdominal pain

Sixteen children with recurrent abdominal pain (or: "recurrent syndrome"), regarded as migraine equivalent in childhood, were submitted to the 51-Cr EDTA gut permeability test. The results were compared with those obtained in 10 healthy young adults and in 11 control children. The gut permeability in the recurrent syndrome was significantly higher than in healthy adults and control children (p less than 0.0006): The following results were obtained: 4.83 +/- 0.40 (mean +/- SEM) in the children with recurrent abdominal pain, and 2.35 +/- 0.24 2.51 +/- 0.21 in the healthy young adults and control children, respectively. The implications of these findings as far as migraine is concerned, are discussed.