[Protein-losing enteropathy of cardiac origin: value of intestinal clearance of alpha-1-antitrypsin].

Two patients with protein-losing enteropathy of cardiac origin, one case due to constrictive pericarditis and another as a complication of a Fontan operation, are presented. In both cases the clinical symptomatology and the analytical pattern were very suggestive of loss of protein through the intestinal lumen. This was confirmed by the determination of fecal fecal alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha-1-AT) and its intestinal clearance. The utility of both determinations as a simple and secure method in substitution of isotopic studies is emphasized.