Pseudoxanthoma elasticum: a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding.
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a rare connective tissue disorder. The main clinical features of this condition are characteristic skin lesions, angioid streaks of the fundus oculi, and occlusive vascular disease. Gastric hemorrhage is a rare complication. A gastroscopic examination was performed on two patients with PXE who presented with upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding. The two patients had submucosal yellowish nodular lesions similar to the xanthoma-like skin lesions seen in the disease. We suggest that a diagnosis of PXE be considered for any patient with gastrointestinal hemorrhage, especially if routine clinical and endoscopic examination fail to reveal the cause, and if raised yellow plaque-like lesions are seen in the stomach by endoscopy.
Spinzi
G
G
Department of Medicine II, Valduce Hospital, Como, Italy.
Strocchi
E
E
Imperiali
G
G
Sangiovanni
A
A
Terruzzi
V
V
Minoli
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005773:Gastroscopy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011561:Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology