Cytomegalovirus-associated protein losing gastropathy in an immunocompetent adult: a case report.
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.
Setakhr
Vida
V
Department of Gastroenterology, Sainte Elisabeth Hospital, Namur, Belgium. vidasetakhr@hotmail.com
Muller
Gebhard
G
Hoang
Pierre
P
Lambert
Anne Sophie
AS
Geubel
André
A
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
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015774:Ganciclovir