Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T00:54:34.341Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Enlargement of salivary glands in bulimia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Josef Vavrina*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Kantonsspital, Luzern, Switzerland.
Werner Müller
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Kantonsspital, Luzern, Switzerland.
Jan-Olaf Gebbers
Affiliation:
Institute of Pathology, Kantonsspital, Luzern, Switzerland.
*
Dr Josef Vavrina, ENT Department, Kantonsspital, 6000Luzern 16, Switzerland. Fax: (0041) 41 25 49 95

Abstract

We report an unusual case of bulimia nervosa with bilateral swelling of parotid and submandibular glands as the only symptom of the underlying behavioural disorder. Histologically, sialadenosis was diagnosed in a parotid biopsy. The parotomegaly in bulimia may be a diagnostic primer as these patients often deny their eating disorder. B-scan ultrasonography is an important diagnostic tool to assess the nature of the parotid enlargement. Hyperamylasaemia occurs commonly in bulimic patients and may help to confirm the diagnosis. All patients with suspected bulimia should have a thorough medical history and physical examination to rule out other aetiologies of asymptomatic parotid swelling. As the enlargement is usually transient surgical intervention is only rarely required.

Type
Clinical Records
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Berke, G. S., Calcaterra, T. C. (1985) Parotid hypertrophy with bulimia: a report of surgical management. Laryngoscope 95: 597598.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Davidson, D., Leibel, B. S., Berris, B. (1969) Asymptomatic parotid gland enlargement in diabetes mellitus. Annals of Internal Medicine 70: 3138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dreiling, D. A., Nuronna, M., Nacchieko, M., Peironi, P., Wolfson, P, (1978) The parotid and pancreas. American Journal of Gastroenterology 70: 627634.Google ScholarPubMed
Foster, D. W. (1992) Anorexia nervosa and bulimia. In Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 12th Edition. (Wilson, J. D., Braunwald, E., Isselbacher, K. J., Petersdorf, R. G., Martin, J. B., Fauci, A. S., Root, R. K., eds.), McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, pp 417420.Google Scholar
Gill, G, (1977) Metabolic and endocrine influences on the salivary glands. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America 10: 363369.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Halmi, K. A., Falk, J. R., Schwarts, E., (1981) Binge eating and vomiting: a survey of college populations. Psychological Medicine 11: 697706.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoek, H. W. (1991) The incidence and prevalence of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in primary care. Psychological Medicine 21: 455460.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Humphries, L. L., Adams, L. J., Eckfeldt, J. H., Levitt, M. D., McClain, C. J. (1987) Hyperamylasemia in patients with eating disorders. Annals of Internal Medicine 106: 5052.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Katsilambros, L., (1961) Asymptomatic enlargement of the parotid glands. Journal of the American Medical Association 178: 173174.Google ScholarPubMed
Lavender, S. (1969) Vomiting and parotid enlargement. Lancet 1: 426 (Letter).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Levin, P. A., Falko, J. M., Dixon, K., Gallup, E. M., Saunders, W., (1980) Benign parotid enlargement in bulimia. Annals of nternal Medicine 93: 827829.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mandel, L., Kaynar, A.. (1992) Bulimia and parotid swelling. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 50: 11221125.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mehler, P. S., Wallace, J. A. (1993) Sialadenosis in bulimia. A new treatment. Archives of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery 119: 787788.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mitchell, J. E., Hatsukami, D., Eckert, E. D., Pyle, R. L. (1985) Characteristics of 275 patients with bulimia. American Journal of Psychiatry 142: 482485.Google ScholarPubMed
Mitchell, J. E., Seim, H. C, Colon, E., Pomeroy, C., (1987) Medical complications and medical management of bulimia. Annals of Internal Medicine 107: 7177.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ogren, F. P., Huerter, J. V., Pearson, P. H., Antonson, C. W., Moore, G. F. (1987) Transient salivary gland hypertrophy in bulimics. Laryngoscope 97: 951953.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pyle, R. L., Halvorson, P. A., Neumann, P. A., Mitchell, J. E. (1986) The increasing prevalence of bulimia in freshman college students. International Journal of Eating Disorders 5: 631647.3.0.CO;2-E>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rauch, S., Herzog, D.. (1987) Parotidectomy for bulimia: a dissenting view. American Journal of Otolaryngology 8: 376380.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Riad, M., Barton, J. R., Wilson, J. A., Freeman, C. P. L., Maran, A. G. D. (1991) Parotid salivary secretory pattern in bulimia nervosa. Ada Otolaryngologica (Stockholm) 111: 392395.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Seifert, G. (1991) Histological typing of salivary gland tumours. In WHO International Histological Classification of Tumours. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg/New York, p 34.Google Scholar
Taylor, V. E., Sneddon, J., (1987) Bilateral facial swelling in bulimia. British Dental Journal 163: 115117.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed