Plummer Vinson triad :

• Postcricoid dysphagia
• Upper esophageal webs
• Iron deficiency anemia

High risk of “squamous cell carcinoma”

Risk factors :

• Race – White and Scandinavian
• Age – 40-70 years
• Sex – Females more than males. Especially in postmenopausal women.

Pathophysiology :

• Iron deficiency anemia
• Nutritional deficiency
• Genetic predisposition
• Autoimmunity causes may include rheumatoid arthritis , pernicious anemia and thyroiditis.

Signs :

• Angular cheilitis
• Glossitis (Atrophic bald tongue)
• Pallor – Palmer pallor and conjunctival pallor
• Platynychia (Flattened nails)
• Koilonychia (Spoon shaped nails)
• Splenomegaly
• Edentia (loss of teeth due to esophageal reflux)
• Enlarged nodular thyroid gland
• Gastritis with acholorhydia
• Post cricoid webs
• Picca
• Beeturia
• Restless leg syndrome

Symptoms :

• Dysphagia
• Odynophagia
• Choking spells and aspiration due to proximal location of webs
• Weakness and fatigue
• Weight loss
• Hair loss

References – Shafer’s textbook of oral pathology , SN Chugh – Textbook of clinical medicine for dental students , slideshare.com

Image reference : Google images.