Allergic Gastroenteropathy

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 lymphangiectasia6 7 8 and gastrointestinal protein loss associated with constrictive pericarditis9 or agammaglobulinemia. . . .