To characterize a cohort of patients with protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) and compare clinical features between connective tissue disease-associated PLE (CTD-PLE) and lymphatic drainage disorder-associated PLE (LDD-PLE), while exploring routine clinical indicators that may assist in etiologic differentiation.
Key Findings:
CTD-PLE patients were older (median onset age 26 years), predominantly female, and had higher D-dimer levels compared to LDD-PLE patients.
CTD-PLE showed higher total cholesterol, triglycerides, and globulin levels, while LDD-PLE was associated with lower lymphocyte counts and more diarrhea.
Age at onset, hemoglobin, and total cholesterol were identified as independent predictors of CTD-PLE.
Interpretation:
Distinct clinical and laboratory patterns exist between PLE etiologies, with specific indicators potentially aiding in preliminary differentiation and influencing clinical management.
Limitations:
The study is limited to a single-center cohort, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.
The proposed model for etiologic differentiation requires validation in independent cohorts.
The retrospective nature of the study may affect data reliability.
Conclusion:
Different etiologies of PLE exhibit unique clinical features and laboratory patterns, suggesting the need for tailored diagnostic and treatment approaches.
