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DOI:
10.4314/aas.v13i2.11Article Details
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Plummer-Vinson Syndrome with Improvement After Iron Repletion
Abstract
Plummer-Vinson Syndrome (PVS) is a rare disorder characterized by upper esophageal webs and iron deficiency anemia and is even more uncommon among people of African descent. We report a case of this syndrome in a middle-aged black woman, which improved on iron-repletion therapy alone. The patient presented with long-standing dysphagia and symptomatic anemia. Gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed an upper esophageal web arising from the anterior wall. She was started on iron therapy daily and after 2 months both the dysphagia and anemia had improved significantly. Therefore, though this is a relatively rare condition in Africa, it still warrants being part of the differential diagnosis for dysphagia especially in the setting of anemia.
Keywords: Plummer-Vinson Syndrome, Anemia, Dysphagia, Endoscopy
