High concentrations of a variety of proteins normally circulate in the bloodstream. The liver serves as the principal site of protein production, although other tissues also produce proteins. Severe burns or malnutrition and diseases of the liver, gastrointestinal tract and kidneys may lead to low blood protein levels, or hypoproteinemia. A pronounced protein deficiency leads to symptoms in several body organs and tissues.
Edema
Proteins provide the chemical matrix that holds water in the bloodstream. In patients with low blood protein levels, water leaks from the blood vessels into the tissues. The increased water in the tissues causes swelling, or edema. The severity of edema correlates to the degree of protein deficiency in the blood. Mild to moderate protein deficits commonly cause edema in the feet, hands and lower legs. Pressing on an affected area often causes a temporary indentation, a characteristic known as pitting edema. Severe hypoproteinemia causes body-wide edema, also known as anasarca, notes MedlinePlus.
Shortness of Breath, Wheezing and Coughing
Fluid leakage from a low blood protein level may affect the lungs, causing a condition known as pulmonary edema. Fluid in the lung air sacs blocks the passage of oxygen into the bloodstream, causing shortness of breath. Patients with pulmonary edema also experience wheezing and coughing, often producing foamy phlegm.
Weight Gain
Patients with a low blood protein level lose ingested water into the tissues rather than excreting it through the urine. This leads to rapid weight gain. The medical reference text, "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," notes that patients typically gain 4 to 5 lbs. of water before noticeable edema develops.
Dizziness
A markedly low blood protein level coupled with significant edema may cause a drop in blood pressure, leading to dizziness. Patients with low blood pressure, or hypotension, often experience dizziness and possibly nausea when rising to a sitting or standing position. Fainting may occur with a marked drop in blood pressure. Patients with a low blood protein level caused by burns may go into cardiovascular shock, a condition in which the blood pressure falls to a level that endangers the body organs.
Easy Bruising and Prolonged Bleeding
A low blood protein level may include a deficit of the clotting proteins, also called coagulation factors. Patients with impaired protein production caused by liver failure often exhibit coagulation factor deficiencies, notes the medical reference "Textbook of Hepatology: From Basic Science to Clinical Practice." Low levels of the coagulation factors may cause easy bruising and prolonged bleeding.
References
- MedlinePlus: Swelling
- MayoClinic.com: Pulmonary edema
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 16th Edition"; Dennis L. Kasper, M.D., et al., editors; 2004
- Penn State College of Medicine Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: Burns: Third Degree
- "Textbook of Hepatology: From Basic Science to Clinical Practice"; Juan Rodés, M.D., et al., editors; 2007
