Endoscopic appearance and significance of functional lymphangiectasia of the duodenal mucosa

The endoscopic course of scattered white spots in the descending duodenum: A prospective study

“…14,15 Several studies have reported on endoscopic evidence of duodenal lymphangiectasia without the presence of malabsorption. 16,17 Consistent with these results, none of our patients with IL had hypoalbumenia, lymphopenia or chronic diarrhea.…”

A Cross-sectional Case-controlled Study on the Significance of Intestinal Lymphangiectasia Incidentally found in the Duodenum on EGD

“…In fact, none of the 127 patients with IL (0%) had low serum albumin, low serum protein level, low serum globulin level, low serum immunoglobulin levels, ankle edema on clinical examination, radiological ascites or radiological pleural effusion. This finding is comparable to previous reports in the literature where those with IL did not have malabsorption [7,12,15,16] . Therefore, developing malabsorption or protein losing enteropathy is not a common occurrence in adults with IL.…”

What Is the Clinical Importance of White Spots in the Duodenum?

“…Secondary causes include conditions that involve protein loss associated with impaired intestinal lymphatic drainage, such as congestive cardiac failure, constrictive pericarditis, hipple s disease, Crohn s disease, intestinal tuberculosis, radiation and/or chemotherapy with retroperitoneal fibrosis and portal hypertension, or hepatic venous out ow obstruction 11-15 . Evidence of lymphangiectasia in the duodenum without the presence of malabsorption has been observed [16]. Consistent with these results, three of the patients in this study with IL had hypoalbumenia, lymphopenia, or chronic diarrhoea.…”