Plummer-Vinson Syndrome in Children.
OBJECTIVE
Plummer-Vinson syndrome (PVS), also called Kelly-Paterson syndrome, is a rare cause of dysphagia in children. This syndrome associates single or multiple webs in the upper esophagus with frequent iron deficiency.


METHODS
We reported 3 pediatric cases of PVS before analyzing all of the cases of PVS in children reported in the PubMed and EMBASE databases.


RESULTS
Among 17 reported PVS cases in children, all of the patients experienced iron-deficiency anemia, and no immunological disease was reported. The male/female ratio was 1/1.9, and most cases were observed in adolescents. Conversely to adults, endoscopic dilation was often necessary because dysphagia resisted iron supplementation. A single dilation was usually sufficient. One case of pediatric PVS experienced esophageal cancer in adulthood.


CONCLUSIONS
In the case of dysphagia in children, a swallow barium exploration with lateral incidence should look for PVS. Conversely to adults, an endoscopic dilation is frequently necessary to control dysphagia in children.
*Departments of Pediatric Digestive and Respiratory Diseases †Radiology, Robert-Debré Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.
Mathilde
M
Butori
Sana
S
Mahmoudi
Emmanuelle
E
Dugelay-Ecochard
Nadia
N
Belarbi
Marc
M
Bellaïche
Jean-Pierre
JP
Hugot
Jérôme
J
Viala
D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D004724:Endoscopy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011004:Plummer-Vinson Syndrome / Q000473:pathology