Esophageal ulcer and multisystem inflammatory syndrome after COVID-19:A case report

BACKGROUND Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults(MIS-A)is a rare but severe disease occurring several weeks after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection.It develops in adults with inflammation of different organs including the gastrointestinal tract,heart,kidneys,skin and hematopoietic system.CASE SUMMARY We present a 58-year-old Chinese man diagnosed with MIS-A.His chief complaints were fever,generalized fatigue and anorexia,accompanied with rashes on his back.Further examination showed cardiac,renal and liver injury.He had melena and gastroscopy indicated esophageal ulcer and severe esophagitis.Repeated blood and sputum culture did not show growth of bacteria or fungi.Antibiotic treatment was stopped due to unsatisfactory performance.His condition improved after prednisone and other supportive treatment.CONCLUSION Gastrointestinal involvement in MIS-A is not uncommon.Intestinal involvement predominates,and esophageal involvement is rarely reported.Esophageal ulcer with bleeding could also be a manifestation of MIS-A.

Intestinal Behcet's disease with esophageal ulcers and colonic longitudinal ulcers

Intestinal Behcet＇s disease in a 38-year-old woman was diagnosed because of the history of recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, erythema nodosum-like eruptions, genital ulcer, and endoscopic findings of esophageal and Ueocolonic punched-out ulcers with colonic longitudinal ulcers. Esophageal lesions and colonic longitudinal ulcers are rarely seen in intestinal Behcet＇s disease. The ulcers of esophagus and ileocolon healed with 3 wk of treatment with prednisolone and mesalazine without any adverse effect. Mesalazine may decrease the total dose of prednisolone required to treat the disease.

An interesting cause of esophageal ulcer etiology: Multiple myeloma of IgG kappa subtype

Multiple myeloma is a neoplasm of mature and immature plasma cells. A 50-year-old woman with lumbago, dysphagia, and left arm pain was presented. Upper endoscopical examination was performed. There was an exudate-covered ulcer in the distal esophagus, located at 30-32 cm from the incisors, covering the whole mucosa. Histopathological examination of the specimens obtained from the lesion showed the involvement of plasma cells consistent with multiple myeloma of IgG kappa subtype. Esophageal involvement of multiple myeloma should be kept in mind in patients presenting with dysphagia.

Esophageal ulcer induced by ibuprofen tablets

To the editor: The Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most widely prescribed drugs,commonly used for rheumatoid diseases and illnesses accompanied by pain.However,the use of NSAIDs is often limited by the gastrointestinal toxicity.The NSAIDs inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX),which is an enzyme in the prostaglandin synthetic pathway,thereby decreasing pain,fever,and inflammation.

Factors associated with complicated erosive esophagitis: A Japanese multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional study

AIMTo assess the clinical characteristics of patients with complicated erosive esophagitis (EE) and their associated factors.METHODSThis prospective, cross-sectional study included patients diagnosed with EE by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy between October 2014 and March 2015 at 106 Japanese hospitals. Data on medical history, general condition, gastrointestinal symptoms, lifestyle habits, comorbidities, and endoscopic findings were collected using a standard form to create a dedicated database. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95%CI for the association with complicated EE.RESULTSDuring the study period, 1749 patients diagnosed with EE, 38.3% of whom were prescribed proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) were included. Of them, 143 (8.2%) had EE complications. Esophageal bleeding occurred in 84 (4.8%) patients, esophageal strictures in 45 (2.6%) patients, and 14 (0.8%) patients experienced both. Multivariate analysis showed that increased age (aOR: 1.05; 95%CI: 1.03-1.08), concomitant use of psychotropic agents (aOR: 6.51; 95%CI: 3.01-13.61), and Los Angeles grades B (aOR: 2.69; 95%CI: 1.48-4.96), C (aOR: 15.38; 95%CI: 8.62-28.37), and D (aOR: 71.49; 95%CI: 37.47-142.01) were significantly associated with complications, whereas alcohol consumption 2-4 d/wk was negatively associated (aOR: 0.23; 95%CI: 0.06-0.61). Analyzing associated factors with each EE complication separately showed esophageal ulcer bleeding were associated with increased age (aOR: 1.05; 95%CI: 1.02-1.07) and Los Angeles grades B (aOR: 3.60; 95%CI: 1.52-8.50), C (aOR: 27.61; 95%CI: 12.34-61.80), and D (aOR: 119.09; 95%CI: 51.15-277.29), while esophageal strictures were associated with increased age (aOR: 1.07; 95%CI: 1.04-1.10), gastroesophageal reflux symptom (aOR: 2.51; 95%CI: 1.39-4.51), concomitant use of psychotropic agents (aOR: 11.79; 95%CI: 5.06-27.48), Los Angeles grades C (aOR: 7.35; 95%CI: 3.32-16.25), and D (aOR: 20.34; 95%CI: 8.36-49.53) and long-segment Barrett’s esophagus (aOR: 4.63; 95%CI: 1.64-13.05).CONCLUSIONAging and severe EE were common associated factors, although there were more associated factors in esophageal strictures than esophageal ulcer bleeding. Despite the availability and widespread use of PPIs, EE complications are likely to remain a problem in Japan owing to the aging population and high-stress society.

Anti-apoptotic effect of banhasasim-tang on chronic acid reflux esophagitis

To evaluate the anti-apoptotic effect of banhasasim-tang (BHSST) on chronic acid reflux esophagitis (CARE) using a rat model. METHODSA surgically-induced CARE model was established in Sprague-Dawley rats. The modeled rats were divided into a treatment group or untreated group, and given BHSST (1 g/kg body weight per day) or water, respectively, for 15 consecutive days (n = 7 each group). Changes in expression of proteins related to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase and apoptosis were assessed by western blotting. Changes in esophageal pathology were analyzed by gross and histological examinations. RESULTSThe CARE exposure modeled rats showed increased levels of the NADPH oxidase subunit, NOX4 and p47phox in the esophagus. The BHSST treatment completely resolved these CARE-related increases. The CARE rats also showed markers of cytokine stress, including elevated levels of TNF-α and reactive oxygen species as well as of the consequent increase in JNK activation, and subsequent decrease in pro-survival gene expression, such as of Bcl-2. BHSST treatment resolved the CARE-related changes. BHSST also exerted an anti-apoptotic effect, as evidenced by altered expression of the apoptosis-related genes for bax, cytochrome c, and caspase 3. Finally, the BHSST treatment markedly ameliorated the CARE-related esophageal mucosal ulcerations. CONCLUSIONIn the rat model of CARE, BHSST can suppress development of esophageal mucosal ulceration via regulation of reactive oxygen species-dependent apoptosis.