Thrombocytopenia in allergic protein-losing gastroenteropathy. Report of an infant with Down's syndrome.

An eleven week old boy with Down's syndrome displayed the typical picture of protein-losing enteropathy, which was complicated by thrombocytopenia. The production of thrombocytes in the bone marrow specimen had increased. After withdrawal of cow's milk form the diet, the concentration of serum albumin and the number of blood thrombocytes normalised within two weeks. We take the view that hypercoagulability, due to the excessive loss of inhibitors of the coagulation system into the intestinal lumen, is the possible mechanism in the excessive consumption of the thrombocytes.