title: [Ménétrier's disease--a rare cause of a protein deficiency syndrome].
abstract: Hypoproteinaemia (total proteins 5.2 g/dl) and hypoalbuminaemia (2.7 g/dl) were demonstrated in a 44-year-old woman with leg oedema during the previous four months and 10-kg weight gain during the previous year. A protein-losing enteropathy was diagnosed, all other causes having been excluded. Gastroscopy revealed giant hypertrophic gastritis. A biopsy showed foveolar hyperplasia with some inflammatory infiltrates, typical of Ménétrier's disease. Endosonography excluded any additional infiltrative process of the bowel wall. Long-term treatment with ranitidine, 150 g twice daily, achieved normalization of total protein and albumin concentrations. But the macroscopic changes in the gastric wall were still recognizable on repeat gastroscopy. As there is a danger of malignant degeneration gastroscopy and, if indicated, endosonography should be repeated annually.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik C, Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kohler
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wegener
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Riemann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004487:Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D005758:Gastritis, Hypertrophic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D005773:Gastroscopy; D006801:Humans; D007019:Hypoproteinemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D007866:Leg; D011504:Protein-Losing Enteropathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D011899:Ranitidine
vernacular_title: Morbus Ménétrier--seltene Ursache eines Eiweissmangelsyndroms.