Ulcerative œsophagitis caused by doxycycline in the tropics: Case report from Burkina Faso

In the cyclines family of antibiotics, doxycycline is most often the offending drug in this respect. We report a case of drug-induced oesophageal injury induced by doxycycline therapy. A 24-year-old woman presented with a sudden onset of odynophagia and retrosternal pain. A careful exploration of the drug history revealed that the patient was taking doxycycline pills without water. Upper digestive fiberscopy showed an ulcer partially covered with pseudomembranes. Treatement with lidocaine jelly and sucralfate led to the disappearance of the dysphagia and retrosternal pain within a week. Physicians must warn their patients to take doxycycline pills with enough liquid and in the upright position. © 2009 Springer Verlag France.