title: Cytomegalovirus-associated protein losing gastropathy in an immunocompetent adult: a case report.
abstract: Cytomegalovirus infection of the gastro-intestinal tract is frequent and may be serious in the immunocompromised patient. We report a case of cytomegalovirus infection in an immunocompetent young man who presented total food intolerance, pleural effusion and oedema as the result of severe protein losing hypertrophic gastropathy. Hypertrophic gastropathy with severe mucosal protein loss has been described in Menetrier's disease, a condition of unknown cause which involves foveolar hyperplasia of the gastric mucosa. Related hypoalbuminemia is responsible for a clinical picture of diffuse edema. In adults, the natural course of the disease is marked by a chronic course and carries a bad prognosis. In our case, the disease ran a protracted disabling course, likely shortened by ganciclovir therapy, followed by slow clinical, endoscopic and biochemical resolution after several' months course.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Sainte Elisabeth Hospital, Namur, Belgium. vidasetakhr@hotmail.com
authors: Vida
authors: V
authors: Setakhr
authors: Gebhard
authors: G
authors: Muller
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Hoang
authors: Anne Sophie
authors: AS
authors: Lambert
authors: André
authors: A
authors: Geubel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004487:Edema / Q000821:virology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000821:virology; D005758:Gastritis, Hypertrophic / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000821:virology; D011504:Protein-Losing Enteropathies / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015774:Ganciclovir