Abnormal loss of protein from the digestive tract related to excessive leakage of plasma proteins into the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract.
Comment:
Affected individuals may present with peripheral edema, diarrhea with or without bleeding, abdominal pain, and/or weight loss. Protein-losing enteropathy is not a disease but is a manifestation of a number of gastrointestinal diseases and can be related to factors such as lymphatic obstruction, mucosal disease with erosions, ulcerations, or increased mucosal permeability to proteins.