Adult geophagia--report of three cases with review of the literature

Abstract

This is the first report of three cases of adult geophagia in Saudi Arabia, two with a history of eating mud, and the third of eating pebbles. The presentation in these patients were of abdominal pains, with the radiographs showing very dense opacities within the intestine, especially the colon. These opacities were of varying sizes, and of varying densities, some of them polygonal in shape. These opacities changed in position with time differentiating them from other densities such as renal calculi with which they are may be confused. A review of the clinical and pathological changes of geophagia is given. The association of iron-deficiency anaemia, hepatomegaly, dwarfism and hypogonadism with a geophagia syndrome is noted and its pathogenesis explained. The role of socio-cultural and other predisposing factors in the aetiology of geophagia is discussed.