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

BACKGROUND: Barrett’s esophagus is a known complication of long-standing gastroesophageal reflux disease, and it is a potential risk factor of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. CASE SUMMARY: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.