Barrett's esophagus in a patient with bulimia nervosa: A case report

Barrett's esophagus is a known complication of long-standing gastroesophageal reflux disease, and it is a potential risk factor of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Here, we present a case of a 47-year-old male patient referred to the gastroenterology clinic for upper endoscopy because he has a long-standing history of heartburn and vomiting after meals. On examination, he had characteristic findings of self-induced vomiting as abrasions and callosities on the dorsum of the right hand and dental erosions. A detailed history revealed that he had 17 years of binge eating with self-induced vomiting. His upper endoscopy showed gastroesophageal reflux grade D with salmon-red mucosal projections, and the biopsy revealed intestinal mucosal metaplasia.

This case emphasized the importance of considering upper endoscopy screening for Barrett's esophagus in patients with eating disorders, especially those with self-induced vomiting, as in bulimia nervosa.