<prompt> A patient exhibits swelling of the ankles and a bloated abdomen and has a history of malnutrition. The bloated abdomen is probably caused by?Increased intestinal gasSlow, chronic abdominal hemorrhageIncreased capillary hydrostatic pressureDecreased capillary colloid osmotic pressure  <response>: In long-standing protein-energy malnutrition, protein catabolism takes place. Blood albumin level decreases. Which leads to decreased colloidal osmotic pressure in the capillaries.This causes increased capillary permeability and edema results.Ref: Ganong;s Review of medical physiology, 24th edition 