PLUMMER VINSON SYNDROME - is it common in males?

Abstract

-Background -Plummer-Vinson syndrome is characterized by a triad of dysphagia, iron deficiency anemia and esophageal web. Most of the patients are middle aged women in the fourth to seventh decade of life. Objective -Very few cases of Plummer-Vinson syndrome affecting males have been reported. Here we report a series of male patients found to be suffering from Plummer-Vinson syndrome. Methods -Five males presented to us with dysphagia and fatigue of various durations, from April to August, 2012.Results -These patients were found to have iron deficiency anemia and esophageal web on subsequent investigations and were treated successfully with oral iron therapy. Conclusion -Plummer-Vinson syndrome is common in both males and females and can be successfully treated with oral iron therapy. The patients have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal malignancies and should be thoroughly evaluated for the same.

Plummer Vinson Syndrome: A Rare Syndrome in Male with Review of the Literature

“…Management consists of correcting underlying iron deficiency anemia, iron supplements, and mechanical dilatation of the webs. Many studies have shown that iron supplementation alone can improve the symptoms and no mechanical dilatation was required [2]. This holds true in our case in whom the symptoms improved on iron therapy.…”

“…Iron deficiency causes rapid depletion of iron-dependent oxidative enzymes which results in myasthenic changes in muscles of alimentary tract, causing mucosal degeneration, muscle atrophy, and esophageal web formation, and also leads to neoplastic changes of the pharynx and upper esophagus. An autoimmune mechanism is positively associated as PVS, as it has been reported in association with rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, pernicious anemia, and thyroiditis [2]. …”

“…Due to nutritional deficiency in these patients, the filiform papillae disappear first followed by fungiform papillae; regeneration of papillae occurs in reverse order but vallate and foliate papillae on the posterior third are spared. It also leads to taste dysfunction in 12% of patients [1, 2, 4, 9]. …”

Nail: a window to systemic disease

“…This disease is usually seen in white women of 40-70 year age group. 2 Male population are less commonly affected. Thorough history taking, general clinical examination, hematological investigations and radiological examination are required for diagnosis of Plummer-Vinson syndrome.…”

A Severe But Easily Treatable Dysphagia

“…2 The pathophysiology of Plummer-Vinson syndrome remains unknown, but the esophageal web is thought to be a consequence of severe iron deficiency leading to a gastrointestinal tract's cell degeneration owing to the loss of iron-dependent enzymes. 3 It is associated with an increased risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Correction of the iron deficiency is always necessary, and may sometimes improve the symptoms, but mechanical esophageal dilatation is often required and is very effective.…”