Protein-losing enteropathy in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome due to intestinal Kaposi's sarcoma
L. Laine
Abstract
L. Laine
Abstract
• Patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) often have hypoalbuminemia. We report the case of a patient with AIDS in whom marked hypoalbuminemia developed due to a protein-losing enteropathy caused by small intestinal Kaposi's sarcoma—an entity not previously reported in AIDS. The patient presented with ankle edema, pleural effusions, and a decrease in albumin from 3.0 g/dL (30 g/L) to 1.7 g/dL (17 g/L) over one month. Protein-losing enteropathy was confirmed by a marked elevation in fecal α-1antitrypsin, and extensive evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract revealed the source to be small intestinal Kaposi's sarcoma. A protein-losing enteropathy should be considered when hypoalbuminemia is encountered in a patient with AIDS. (Arch Intern Med1987;147:1174-1175)
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• Patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) often have hypoalbuminemia. We report the case of a patient with AIDS in whom marked hypoalbuminemia developed due to a protein-losing enteropathy caused by small intestinal Kaposi's sarcoma—an entity not previously reported in AIDS. The patient presented with ankle edema, pleural effusions, and a decrease in albumin from 3.0 g/dL (30 g/L) to 1.7 g/dL (17 g/L) over one month. Protein-losing enteropathy was confirmed by a marked elevation in fecal α-1antitrypsin, and extensive evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract revealed the source to be small intestinal Kaposi's sarcoma. A protein-losing enteropathy should be considered when hypoalbuminemia is encountered in a patient with AIDS. (Arch Intern Med1987;147:1174-1175)
Key concepts: Hypoalbuminemia, Protein losing enteropathy, Enteropathy, Medicine, Sarcoma, Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal tract, Immunodeficiency