[Plasma protein loss via the gastrointestinal tract in nephrotic syndrome patients]

Plasma protein loss via gastrointestinal tract was determined in 24 patients with clinical and laboratory data for manifested nephrosis syndrome, 21 of them being with various histological forms of chronic glomerulonephritis, 2--with disseminated lupus erythematosus and 1--with renal amyloidosis. Isotope labelled chromium trichloride was intravenously applied, marking the albumin pool in a dose of 0.5 micro curie (20 KBq/kg body weight). In four patients an increased fecal radio-activity was established amounting to 1.00 to 2.63 per cent of the injected dose for 96 hours. The possible causes for that phenomenon are discussed as well as its significance in the advancement of nephrosis syndrome.