Plummer-Vinson syndrome
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Plummer-Vinson syndrome
USMLE® Step 1 style questions USMLE
A 55-year-old woman comes to the office due to difficulty swallowing for the past 2 months. The patient describes intermittent difficulty swallowing solids which improves with water or by chewing her food more. She also reports feeling more tired during this time period. Medical history is noncontributory. Temperature is 36.5°C (97.7°F), pulse is 110/min, and blood pressure is 135/85 mmHg. Physical examination reveals pale conjunctiva. Which of the following may be seen on further evaluation of this patient?
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Plummer-Vinson also called Paterson-Brown-Kelly syndrome, refers to the triad of iron deficiency anemia, dysphagia, and a cervical esophageal web. The esophageal webs are thin, fibrous bands that can form in the upper part of the esophagus, whereas dysphagia refers to difficulty swallowing. Treatment with iron supplementation and mechanical widening of the esophagus generally provides a good outcome.