Transient hypoproteinemia and hypoprothrombinemia in an infant.

A 7 months old infant with transient hypoproteinemia and hypoprothrombinemia is described. The hypoproteinemia is attributed to protein losing enteropathy, and transient Menetrier's disease is suggested as a possible cause for the protein loss. Assuming that this baby was not vitamin K deficient, and knowing that the mononuclear weight of prothrombin is lower than that of albumin, the hypoprothrombinemia might be due to prothrombin loss into the gut together with albumin