Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a common but often unrecognized systemic disorder observed mainly in elderly people. All papers related to DISH demonstrate a consistent and marked increase of the disease with advancing age. Various local structural lesions such as oropharyngeal tumors, vascular pathologies, retropharyngeal abscesses, and anterior cervical osteophytes may lead to mechanical esophageal dysphagia.
A research article to be published on April 7, 2010 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this question. A research team led by Dr. Berrin Karadag reported a case of a geriatric patient with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.
This study concluded that DISH should be considered an important, although rare, cause of dysphagia among older adults. However, it should not be accepted as the cause of dysphagia until all other causes have been ruled out.
Reference: Karadag B, Cat H, Aksoy S, Ozulu B, Ozturk AO, Oguz S, Altuntas Y. A geriatric patient with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. World J Gastroenterol 2010; 16(13): 1673-1675
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