Observational Study
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World J Gastroenterol. Nov 14, 2014; 20(42): 15780-15786
Published online Nov 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i42.15780
Autoimmune gastritis presenting as iron deficiency anemia in childhood
Cristina Gonçalves, Maria Emília Oliveira, Ana M Palha, Anabela Ferrão, Anabela Morais, Ana Isabel Lopes
Cristina Gonçalves, Ana Isabel Lopes, Gastroenterology Unit, Pediatric Department, University Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon Academic Medical Centre, 1649-035 Lisboa, Portugal
Maria Emília Oliveira, Ana M Palha, Pathology Department, University Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon Academic Medical Centre, 1649-035 Lisboa, Portugal
Anabela Ferrão, Anabela Morais, Hematology Unit , Pediatric Department, University Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon Academic Medical Centre, 1649-035 Lisboa, Portugal
Author contributions: Gonçalves C, Ferrão A, Morais A and Lopes AI observed the patients and collected patient and laboratorial data; Lopes AI performed esophagogastroduodenoscopies and biopsy sample collection; Palha AM and Oliveira ME performed the histopathological analysis; Gonçalves C and Lopes AI wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Ana Isabel Lopes, MD, PhD, Gastroenterology Unit, Pediatric Department, University Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon Academic Medical Centre, 1649-035 Lisboa, Portugal. anaisalopes@sapo.pt
Telephone: +351-91-9075306 Fax: +351-91-9075306
Received: December 31, 2013
Revised: March 10, 2014
Accepted: April 28, 2014
Published online: November 14, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: Autoimmune gastritis (AIG) is a rare entity at young age. Although classically associated with pernicious anemia in adulthood, its presentation as iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) has been recently reported, particularly in younger patients. Our study aimed to further contribute to a better characterization of clinical and histological expression of AIG at pediatric age, highlighting IDA as a precocious hematological manifestation and the diagnostic contribution of a careful immunohistological evaluation. Furthermore, in the setting of personal and/or familial history of autoimmune disease, the importance of taking AIG into account and including parietal cell antibodies in the autoimmune screening panel is emphasized.