Six cases of life-threatening peptic ulcer bleeding associated with virus infection

Emergent transcatheter arterial embolization for norovirus-associated life-threatening ulcer bleeding to achieve successful hemostasis in 2-year-old boy

Case

We report a 2-year-old boy with duodenal ulcer with active bleeding that occurred as a result of norovirus gastroenteritis. On admission, the patient presented with shock accompanied with vomiting and melena. Abdominal contrast enhanced computed tomography scan showed signs of duodenal bleeding.

Outcome

He was successfully treated with emergent transcatheter arterial embolization. After the treatment, endoscopic examination revealed duodenal ulcer and the stool norovirus antigen test was found to be positive. The patient recovered completely without any sequelae.

Conclusion

Life-threatening duodenal ulcer bleeding in children can be caused by viral gastroenteritis. When endoscopic therapy is unsuccessful or difficult, in cases of small children, angiographic intervention can be a safe alternative treatment option of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Gastroduodenal Perforation and Ulcer Associated With Rotavirus and Norovirus Infections in Japanese Children: A Case Report and Comprehensive Literature Review

Race, young age, male gender, severe dehydration, metabolic acidosis, drowsiness/unconsciousness and shock are associated with gastroduodenal perforation/ulcer (GDPU) in childhood rotaviruses and noroviruses gastroenteritis. Awareness of the risk of GDPU prevents lethal outcome in these common infections among young children.

Background. There is no literature review on gastroduodenal perforation or ulcer (GDPU) with rotavirus (RV) and norovirus (NoV) gastroenteritis.

Methods. Pediatric cases of GDPU or upper gastrointestinal bleeding with RV and NoV gastroenteritis were searched from September 1974 until October 2015 using PubMed, Google for English, other-language-publications, and Ichushi (http://www.jamas.or.jp) for Japanese-language publications. All reports confirming GDPU or upper gastrointestinal bleeding with RV and NoV gastroenteritis were eligible for inclusion in the study. In addition, clinical characteristics were reviewed.

Results. A boy with duodenal ulcer (DU) and NoV gastroenteritis was described. There were 32 GDPU cases (23 RVs and 9 NoVs cases), including our case; with the exception of 1 case, all were Japanese. Mean age, male/female ratio, and symptoms' duration before admission were 21.6 months, 2.2, and 4.0 days, respectively. Vomiting was the most common symptom, followed by diarrhea, lethargy, fever, abdominal distension, and convulsion. Dehydration, hematemesis, melena, drowsiness or unconsciousness, shock, metabolic acidosis, leukocytosis, anemia, positive C-reactive protein, high blood urea nitrogen, and hyponatremia commonly occurred. Helicobacter pylori was a minor cause of GDPU. Duodenal (DP) or gastric perforation (GP) developed in 14 cases (10 DP/RVs, 1 GP/RV, and 3 DP/NoVs). Duodenal ulcer or gastric ulcer (GU) developed in 18 cases (10 DU/RVs, 4 DU/NoVs, 1 GU/RV, 1 GU + DU/NoV, and 2 upper gastrointestinal bleeding/RVs). The predominant perforation or ulcer site was in the duodenum. With the exception of 2 deaths from DU, all cases recovered.

Conclusions. Race, young age, male, severe dehydration, metabolic acidosis, drowsiness and unconsciousness, and shock may be potential risk factors of GDPU associated with RV and NoV gastroenteritis. Limitation of this descriptive study warrants further investigations to determine the risk factors in these infections that could be associated with GDPU.