Objective: To increase the understanding in protein-losing enteropathy (PLE).
Methods: Sixty-one PLE patients were enrolled in the study and the clinical characteristics, complicated disease, diagnosis and treatment were analyzed.
Results: The age of the patients was 16 - 77 (40 ± 15) years, and the gender ratio was 35:26 (female:male). The main clinical manifestations were bilateral lower limb edema in 51 cases, ascites in 41 cases, bilateral pleural effusion in 23 cases, pericardial effusion in 13 cases, abdominal pain in 16 cases and diarrhea in 33 cases. The prominent abnormality in laboratory examinations was hypoalbuminemia. The underlying diseases include systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 28 cases, intestinal lymphangiectasia in 12 cases, hepatic cirrhosis in 5 cases, heart diseases in 5 cases, Crohn's disease in 3 cases, membranous nephropathy in 2 cases, Budd-Chiari syndrome in 1 case. Four cases happened after abdominal operation and 1 case after radiation therapy of gastric cardia cancer. Thirty-seven cases were diagnosed by (99)Tc(m)-labelled human serum albumin scintigraphy and 24 cases were diagnosed clinically. Treatment was focused on underlying diseases. The clinical manifestations in 21 cases of SLE improved after SLE was controlled. In 2 cases of intestinal lymphangiectasia and one with Crohn's disease, the clinical manifestations improved after surgery. The other patients had no improvement.
Conclusions: PLE was not uncommon in clinical practice. Its predominant characteristics were severe hypoalbuminemia, edema and dropsy of serous cavity. PLE can complicate other diseases such as SLE, intestinal lymphangiectasia. Treatment should be focused on primary disease.