Increased Mucosal Permeability In Two Different Patient Population

The Aim Of This Study Is To Investigate Whether There Is A Difference In The Intestinal Permeability Of Healthy Individuals In Developed Countries Compared To Individuals In Developing Countries. Intestinal Permeability Will Be Assessed By Measuring The Level Of Expression Of Zonulin Proteins In The Duodenal Tissue And Serum From Healthy Individuals In Cuenca, Ecuador And In Boston, Usa. While The Primary Objective Of The Study Is To Detect A Difference In The Expression Of Zonulin Proteins In Individuals From Ecuador And Usa, The Secondary Aim Is To Analyze The Relationship Between Intestinal Permeability In Both Populations And Factors Such As Age, Gender, Smoking, Alcohol Consumption, History Of Parasitic Gastrointestinal Infections, And Presence/Absence Of Helicobacter Pylori.