Diagnosis and Management of Ménétrier Disease in Children: A Case Series Review

PURPOSE: Ménétrier disease (MD) was first described in 1888, and 50 cases have been reported until now. We aimed to discuss the etiology, diagnostics, and management of MD in children. METHODS: We searched for case reports published from 2014 till 2019 in English using PubMed. Articles were selected using subject headings and key words of interest to the topic. Interesting references of the included articles were also included. RESULTS: The pathophysiology of MD is still uncertain. However, overexpression of transforming growth factor alpha with transformation of the gastric mucosa has been observed, which may be mediated by genetics and provoked by an infectious trigger. Clinically, MD is diagnosed by abdominal pain, vomiting, anorexia, and edema secondary to hypoalbuminemia. A gastroscopy with biopsy is the gold standard for the diagnosis of MD. In children, the disease is self-limiting and only requires supportive treatment. In general, children have a good prognosis and recover spontaneously within a few weeks. CONCLUSION: Few pediatric cases of MD have been described in recent years, and with all different etiology. Endoscopy with biopsy remains the golden standard for the diagnosis of MD, and in children, the disease is self-limiting.