Korean J Gastrointest Endosc.  2000 Dec;21(6):909-916.

Clinical Features of Menetrier's Disease in Korea

• Lim YJ
• Rhee PL
• Kim YH
• Lee SJ
• Lee MS
• Kang TW
• Park DI
• Lee JH
• Jang JK
• Son HJ
• Kim JJ
• Paik SW
• Rhee JC
• Choi KW

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Menetrier's disease is a poorly defined condition that is of unknown origin, characterized by giant folds in the stomach. The histologic features are foveolar hyperplasia and cystic dilatation of the gland. We presented the characteristic findings of Menetirer's disease in Korea with a review of literatures to understand the Menetirer's disease more precisely.
METHODS
The sixteen cases of Menetrier's disease was reported in Korea. We analyzed their age, sex, symptoms, signs, laboratory findings and treatments, retrospectively.
RESULTS
The average age was 46 years. There were 11 men and 4 women. The most common symptom was epigastric pain (94%). The most common sign were epigastric tenderness (69%) and pretibial pitting edema (63%). Patients were often associated with the hypoalbuminemia (73%). All patients showed hypertrophic folds on either gastrofiberscopy or upper gastrointestinal series. All patients showed foveolar hyperplasia histologically. Three patients were operated to control a massive upper gastrointesinal bleeding. Two patients were operated to control the intractable edema. Two patients were operated to exclude gastric malignancy.
CONCLUSIONS
Menetrier's disease showed broad clinical features such as epigastric pain, hypoalbuminemia, massive hematemesis and mimicking gastric malignancy. The giant gastric folds and foveolar hyperplasia were the most commom and important findings in the Menetrier's disease.

Keyword

Menetrier's disease; Giant gastric fold; Foveloar hyperplasia

MeSH Terms

Dilatation
Edema
Female
Gastritis, Hypertrophic*
Hematemesis
Hemorrhage
Humans
Hyperplasia
Hypoalbuminemia
Korea*
Male
Retrospective Studies
Stomach