Does hypoproteinemia cause edema

Yes, low oncotic blood pressure is a major cause of dependent pitting edema. Proteins in the blood exert an oncotic pull on blood serum which keeps the serum within the blood vessels. A loss of these proteins decreases the ability of the blood to keep serum within the blood vessels and the serum will leak out into the interstitial space. Gravity then pulls the edema fluid downward into the legs.