(Kelly-Paterson syndrome, sideropenic dysphagia)

Dysphagia associated with iron-deficiency anemia. Most patients are adult women between 40 and 80 years of age, but the syndrome has also been described in children and adolescents. It is sometimes associated with celiac disease (see this term).

Dysphagia is due to one or more stenoses of the esophagus (often with the appearance of a sub-cricoid diaphragm). It is generally painless and intermittent or slowly progressive, limited to solids and sometimes associated with weight loss.

Symptoms of anemia (weakness, pallor, fatigue, tachycardia) may dominate the clinical picture. Other signs include glossitis, angular cheilitis and koilonychia.

Treatment: iron supplements and esophageal dilatation, sometimes resection-anastomosis of esophageal stenosis. 

Increased risk of esophageal or pharyngeal carcinoma.

Anesthetic implications: 

anemia, esophageal motility disorders with risk of 'full esophagus'.

References : 

-        Butori M, Mahmoudi S, Dugelay-Ecochard E, Belarbi N, Bellaīche M, Viala J.
Plummer-Vinson syndrome in children.
J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2015 ; 61 :547-52

-        Sethuraman C, Bavanandam S, Dheivamani N, Raju BB.
Plummer Vinson syndrome in children: case series.
Int J Contemp Pediatr 2018;5:265-8

Updated: February 2024