RESUMO
HISTORY AND ADMISSION FINDINGS: A 50-year-old woman presented with progressive dysphagia and chest pain. Clinical and laboratory findings revealed a moderate epigastric pain and moderately elevated D-dimers. She had previously been diagnosed with esophagitis. Current oral medication included risedonate and clindamycin. INVESTIGATIONS: The electrocardiogram was appropriate for age, with a SIQIII-sign and sinus tachycardia. Echocardiography, abdominal sonography and chest X-ray were unremarkable. Gastroscopy demonstrated severe inflammatory lesions in the middle part of the esophagus. The biopsies revealed crystalline material microscopically. TREATMENT AND COURSE: The findings supported the diagnosis of an acute exacerbation of a chronic risedronat-induced esophagitis caused by clindamycin. After discontinuing the oral medication and giving intermittent parenteral nutrition the lesions healed completely. CONCLUSION: Drug-induced esophagitis is often not recognized. Because of the high number of patients on bisphosphonate medication, often in combination with other potentially ulcerogenic drugs, the differential diagnosis should include drug-induced esophagitis.
