Deficiency of enterokinase, a sequence-specific protease that activates trypsinogen (see 276000) and has a major role in protein digestion, is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by severe protein malabsorption in early infancy, with failure to thrive, chronic diarrhea, and generalized edema. In adulthood, patients have normal body weight and no gastrointestinal symptoms, even when pancreatic enzyme supplements are discontinued (summary by Holzinger et al., 2002). [from
OMIM]