The endoscopic and morphological characteristics of the upper gastrointestinal tract mucosa in the presence of abdominal symptomatology in children with exanthematous lupus erythematosus

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was carried out in 60 children aged 8 to 16 years who had exanthematous lupus erythematosus (ELE) and in 325 children of the same age who had chronic gastroduodenitis and made up a control group due to their complaints of epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, and belching. The results of the study showed that the endoscopic and morphological signs of esophagitis, gastritis, and duodenitis in ELE did not differ from those obtained by esophagogastroduodenoscopy in the patients with chronic gastroduodenitis. The more frequent occurrence of erosions in the gastric and duodenal mucosae in ELE may be associated with the severity of the underlying disease and the long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs.

children, exanthematous lupus erythematosus, gastrointestinal tract