Plummer-Vinson Syndrome in an African American Woman Secondary to Menorrhagia: a Case Report

Plummer-Vinson syndrome (PVS) constitutes a triad of iron deficiency anemia, dysphagia, and cervical esophageal webs. It has usually been described in Caucasian women but rarely reported in African American women despite a high prevalence of iron deficiency anemia. We report a 32-year-old African American female with a history of iron deficiency anemia secondary to menorrhagia, who presented with progressive weakness and dysphagia. Her bloodwork revealed severe iron deficiency anemia, and upper endoscopy showed a single esophageal web that underwent Savary-Gilliard dilation. In African Americans, PVS should be suspected if concurrent dysphagia with iron deficiency anemia is present. Guidelines regarding endoscopic surveillance are yet to be studied, and long-term and comparable data, including trials of endoscopic monitoring for PVS, will help reduce the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.