Protein losing enteropathy
| Protein losing enteropathy | |
|---|---|
| Protein losing enteropathy affects the GI tract | |
| Specialty | Gastroenterology |
| Symptoms | Swelling of the legs |
| Causes | Inflammatory bowel disease, idiopathic ulcerative jejunoileitis |
| Diagnostic method | Scintigraphy, viral serologies |
| Treatment | Octreotide, surgery |
Protein losing enteropathy (PLE) is a syndrome in which blood proteins are lost excessively via the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It may be caused by many different underlying diseases that damage the lining of the GI tract (mucosa) or cause blockage of its lymphatic drainage.