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Unusual association of diseases/symptoms
Case report
Protein losing gastroenteropathy due to Helicobacter pylori infection without giant rugal folds, erosion or polyposis
  1. Katsunobu Yoshioka1,
  2. Masanori Kishibuchi2 and
  3. Ko Takada1
  1. 1 Internal Medicine, Shitennoji Hospital, Osaka, Japan
  2. 2 Surgery, Shitennoji Hospital, Osaka, Japan
  1. Correspondence to Dr Katsunobu Yoshioka; kyoshioka{at}shitennoji-fukushi.jp

Abstract

An 85-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of progressive hypoproteinemia and generalised oedema. Technetium-99m human albumin scintigraphy revealed protein leakage in the gastrointestinal tract. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed small whitish nodules from the gastric body up to the duodenal bulb. The urease test for Helicobacter pylori infection was positive. We diagnosed her as having protein-losing gastroenteropathy (PLGE) caused by H. pylori infection. The patient’s hypoproteinemia and clinical symptoms promptly resolved after H. pylori eradication. Our results suggest that a trial of H. pylori eradication is warranted in patients with PLGE, even if endoscopy reveals neither giant rugal folds, erosion of the mucosa, nor polyposis, which are previously reported characteristic endoscopic findings of PLGE.

  • Helicobacter pylori
  • Endoscopy

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2019-230870

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors KY reviewed medical records, interpreted data and drafted the manuscript. MK reviewed medical records, interpreted data and supervised the study. KT supervised the study.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent for publication Obtained.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.