Protein-Losing Enteropathy in Ulcerative Colitis

Protein-Losing Enteropathy in Ulcerative Colitis

Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) is a debilitating potential complication of ulcerative colitis (UC). We report a case of PLE in a 26-year-old male patient with UC. The patient lost 50 pounds in the setting of a UC flare and was found to have an albumin level of 1.2 g/dl. Although the patient’s UC w...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ryan Ungaro, Mark W. Babyatsky, Hongfa Zhu, Jeffrey S. Freed
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Karger Publishers 2012-04-01
Series:Case Reports in Gastroenterology
Subjects:
Protein-losing enteropathy
Ulcerative colitis
Procto-colectomy
Online Access:http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/338191
Description
Summary:Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) is a debilitating potential complication of ulcerative colitis (UC). We report a case of PLE in a 26-year-old male patient with UC. The patient lost 50 pounds in the setting of a UC flare and was found to have an albumin level of 1.2 g/dl. Although the patient’s UC was clinically controlled with steroids, the weight loss and hypoalbuminemia persisted with the patient’s course complicated by development of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The diagnosis of PLE was confirmed with measurement of stool alpha-1-antitrypsin clearance. The patient’s condition significantly improved following procto-colectomy.
ISSN:1662-0631

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