Protein-losing enteropathy in chronic enteropathy is characterized by which finding?

• A. Hyperalbuminemia with intestinal protein loss
• B. Hypoalbuminemia with renal protein loss
• C. Normal albumin with stool changes
• D. Hypoalbuminemia with evidence of intestinal protein loss

Answer: (D)

Protein-losing enteropathy happens when proteins leak into the gut due to mucosal damage, so the key finding is low albumin from loss through the intestines. In chronic enteropathy, this is best described as hypoalbuminemia with evidence that the loss is intestinal, such as elevated fecal clearance of a gut-protein marker (like alpha-1 antitrypsin). This combination distinguishes intestinal loss from other sources of protein loss or from normal albumin levels. Hyperalbuminemia would not fit; kidney-based protein loss shows hypoalbuminemia with proteinuria rather than intestinal loss; normal albumin would not indicate significant loss.