Protein-losing enteropathy in congestive heart failure: diagnosis by means of a simple method
Chan, F.K.; Sung, J.J.; Ma, K.M.; Leung, Y.L.; Yeung, V.T.
Hepato-Gastroenterology 46(27): 1816-1818
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0172-6390 PMID: 10430351 Document Number: 510401
Protein-losing enteropathy is frequently overlooked in patients suffering from congestive heart failure. Although textbooks often quote heart failure as one of the causes of protein-losing enteropathy, this association has not been clearly documented in the literature. Furthermore, conventional diagnostic techniques for protein-losing enteropathy are both cumbersome and time-consuming. We report the first case of protein-losing enteropathy of a 79 year-old lady who suffered from dilated cardiomyopathy. The profound hypoalbuminemia could not be explained by urinary loss or impaired hepatic synthesis. Protein-losing enteropathy was confirmed by means of Technetium-99m- (99mTc) labelled human serum albumin scintigraphy which showed diffuse activity in the entire colon. The use of this simple and non-invasive diagnostic technique in protein-losing enteropathy is discussed.