Allergic Gastroenteropathy

Abstract

EXCESSIVE loss of plasma proteins into the gastrointestinal tract, which may be a major factor in the pathogenesis of hypoproteinemia and edema, has been demonstrated to occur in association with a number of well defined disorders of the gastrointestinal tract such as giant hypertrophy of the gastric rugae,¹ regional enteritis,² sprue,³ Whipple's intestinal lipodystrophy,⁴ ulcerative colitis² and gastrointestinal cancer.⁵ The study of patients with protein-losing gastroenteropathy has also led to the elucidation of a number of syndromes that were previously unrecognized as causes of hypercatabolic hypoproteinemia. These include intestinal lymphangiectasia^{6 7 8} and gastrointestinal protein loss associated with constrictive pericarditis⁹ or agammaglobulinemia. . . .