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Background & Aims: Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is an uncommon cause of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding that is characterized by dilation of blood vessels in the antrum of the stomach. Various co-morbidities are associated with the development of GAVE, but the impact of co-morbidities on unplanned GAVE readmissions is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the national incidence, 30-day mortality rate, and 30-day readmissions related to GAVE. Secondary outcomes were evaluation of predictors of early readmission, hospital length of stay (LOS) and total hospitalization charges. Methods: Using the 2016 National Readmission Database, we analyzed discharges for GAVE. ICD-10 CM codes were utilized to identify associated comorbidities and inpatient procedures during the index admission. 30-day readmissions were identified for GAVE. Secondary measures of outcomes including LOS and hospitalization charges were also calculated. Risk factors for early readmission were also evaluated using multivariate analysis to adjust for confounders. Results: A total of 18,375 index admissions for GAVE were identified. 20.49% (n=3,720) of the discharged patients were readmitted within 30 days. 30-day mortality of GAVE-related admissions was 1.82% (n=335). Early readmissions accounted for 20,157 hospital days along with $189 million in hospitalization costs. Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of portal hypertension (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.37-1.93; p=0.0001) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.44-1.82; p<0.0001) significantly increased the odds of early readmission. Conclusions: Our analysis demonstrates that the overall 30-day mortality rate of GAVE-related admissions is relatively low, but the 30-day readmission rate is significantly high. Patients with comorbid CKD and portal hypertension have a significantly higher risk of readmission. Further studies are required to determine if therapeutic interventions such as argon plasma coagulation or radiofrequency ablation during the index admission may prevent readmissions in these specific subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This economic evaluation aims to provide a preliminary assessment of the cost-effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) compared with argon plasma coagulation (APC) when used to treat APC-refractory gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) in symptomatic patients.Methods: A Markov model was constructed to undertake a cost-utility analysis for adults with persistent symptoms secondary to GAVE refractory to first line endoscopic therapy. The economic evaluation was conducted from a UK NHS and personal social services (PSS) perspective, with a 20-year time horizon, comparing RFA with APC. Patients transfer between health states defined by haemoglobin level. The clinical effectiveness data were sourced from expert opinion, resource use and costs were reflective of the UK NHS and benefits were quantified using Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) with utility weights taken from the literature. The primary output was the Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER), expressed as cost per QALY gained.Results: Over a lifetime time horizon, the base case ICER was £4840 per QALY gained with an 82.2% chance that RFA was cost-effective at a threshold of £20,000 per QALY gained. The model estimated that implementing RFA would result in reductions in the need for intravenous iron, endoscopic intervention and requirement for blood transfusions by 27.1%, 32.3% and 36.5% respectively. Compared to APC, RFA was associated with an estimated 36.7% fewer procedures.Conclusions: RFA treatment is likely to be cost-effective for patients with ongoing symptoms following failure of first line therapy with APC and could lead to substantive reductions in health care resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé: La radiofréquence est une approche thérapeutique utilisée aujourd'hui dans de multiples indications dans le tube digestif. Son intérêt est démontré ou en cours d'évaluation pour des maladies de l'œsophage, de l'estomac, des voies biliaires, du pancréas et du rectum. L'avantage de cette méthode de traitement est, dans les maladies luminales, une capacité à traiter de façon uniforme de larges zones cibles, et dans les maladies bilio-pancréatiques d'offrir une alternative mini-invasive à la chirurgie. La faisabilité technique est dans l'ensemble excellente, moyennant une formation préalable adéquate. L'efficacité est, elle, variable. Celle-ci est démontrée dans l'endobrachyœsophage, mais nous disposons de moins de données pour les lésions œsophagiennes malpighiennes. Elle est insuffisante et trop coûteuse dans les ectasies vasculaires antrales, et en passe d'être supplantée par la ligature endoscopique antrale. Son intérêt dans les voies biliaires et le pancréas est croissant, notamment chez les patients non opérables pour qui les options thérapeutiques sont limitées. Mais une meilleure compréhension des propriétés thermocinétiques du pancréas et des voies biliaires, ainsi qu'une évaluation plus approfondie de son efficacité semblent nécessaires. Enfin, elle a une certaine efficacité dans la proctopathie radique hémorragique par ailleurs réfractaire aux traitements de première ligne (argon, tamponnement au formol). Son utilisation nécessite un matériel dédié et coûteux, ainsi qu'une expertise, constituant un frein à l'utilisation de cette technique à plus large échelle. Plusieurs voies de recherche se dégagent pour préciser la place de ces techniques dans ces indications frontières. Tout d'abord, les paramètres les plus adaptés (densité et puissance d'énergie, nombre d'impacts) doivent être mieux déterminés. Par ailleurs, l'efficacité à long terme doit être évaluée. Enfin, le rapport coût/efficacité méritera d'être étudié. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a treatment method used today in a variety of settings in the gastro-intestinal tract. Its efficacy has been proven or is currently being evaluated in diseases of the esophagus, stomach, biliary tract, pancreas and rectum. Its strong suit in gut afflictions resides in the ability it conveys to treat large target areas in a uniform fashion. In biliary and pancreatic diseases, it offers a minimally invasive alternative to surgery. Given proper training, its feasibility is excellent. Its efficacy on the other hand is variable. The efficacy of RFA has been proven in the setting of dysplastic Barret's esophagus, but data are scarce regarding squamous lesions of the esophagus. Regarding gastric vascular ectasia, RFA caries a significant cost burden and lacks efficiency as compared to band ligation. The use of RFA in biliary and pancreatic diseases is attracting more and more attention, specifically in non-operable patients in which treatment options are limited. However, a better understanding of the thermo-sensibility of the pancreas and the bile duct is warranted, as well as a better assessment of its efficacy. Finally, RFA is efficient in refractory hemorrhagic chronic radiation proctopathy (resistant to argon or formalin instillation). Performing RFA requires specific and costly equipment as well as an expertise, which limit its wider use. Several key issues have emerged as research topics to determine the place of RFA in some of its more recent fields of application. First, the optimal settings (density, intensity, number of impacts) need to be determined. Second, the long-term efficacy needs to be better assessed. Finally, the cost-benefit balance should be evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Portal hypertension (PH) is a syndrome characterized by chronic increase in the pressure gradient between the portal vein and inferior vena cava. Previous studies have suggested an increased frequency of antral elevated erosive gastritis in patients with PH, as well as an etiologic association; however, there has not been any histological evidence of this hypothesis to date. Our aim was to evaluate the histological features found in elevated antral erosions in patients with portal hypertension. Methods: Sixty-nine patients were included; 28 with and 41 without PH. All patients underwent endoscopy, and areas with elevated antral erosion were biopsied. Results: In the PH group, 24 patients had inflammatory infiltration with or without edema and vascular congestion, and 4 patients had no inflammation. In the group without PH, all patients showed inflammatory infiltration of variable intensity. There was no statistical significance between the two groups in the presence of Helicobacter pylori. There as a histological similarity between the two groups, if PH patients without inflammation were excluded; however, more edema and vascular congestion were observed in the PH group (p=0.002). Conclusions: The findings show that elevated antral erosions in patients with PH have more evident edema and vascular congestion in addition to lymphocytic infiltration.

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is known to be characterized by red patches or spots in a diffuse or linear array in the antrum of the stomach. The precise etiology of GAVE remains to be elucidated. Argon plasma laser coagulation (APC) has been used to control oozing from GAVE; however, there is no satisfactory long-term effect of APC in the control of oozing from GAVE. An acid reducer is used after APC because even physiological acid exposure might delay post-APC ulcer healing. We describe the case of a patient who had used an acid reducer and experienced repeated gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to GAVE. After ceasing to administer the acid reducer, incidences of hospitalization due to oozing from GAVE stopped. After the administration of the acid reducer was restarted, the patient had tarry stool, and diffuse oozing of blood was seen again. We report a first case of GAVE which was aggravated by acid reducer.

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is a rare cause of chronic gastrointestinal bleeding with its own endoscopic characteristics. In children, there are isolated reports as a cause of non-variceal gastrointestinal hemorrhage. It is important to get timely recognition and treatment as it can manifest itself with an acute episode of bleeding, becoming life-threatening. We report the case of an 18-year-old female patient with a history of hepatic cirrhosis diagnosed 5 years ago, chronic anemia and melena-like upper gastrointestinal bleeding. This was the reason why upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is ordered. A diagnosis of diffused vascular ectasias in the gastric antrum and moderate portal hypertensive gastropathy was made. High-definition endoscopic techniques, Blue Light Imaging (BLI) and Linked Color Imaging (LCI) were performed. Treatment with argon plasma coagulation was carried out, without complications. After several treatment sessions the bleeding episodes were diminished.

Background. Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is currently recognized as an important cause of upper gastrointestinal (GI) haemorrhage, being responsible for about 4% of non-variceal upper GI haemorrhages and typically presents in middle-aged females. GAVE, also called “watermelon stomach”, is diagnosed through esophagogastroduodenoscopy and is characterized by the presence of visible columns of red tortuous enlarged vessels along the longitudinal folds of the antrum. The pathogenesis is still obscure and many hypotheses have been proposed such as mechanical stress, humoral and autoimmune factors. In the last two decades, numerous therapeutic strategies have been proposed, including surgical, endoscopic, and medical choices, yet successful treatment of GAVE continues to be a challenge. Currently, given the rapid response, safety, and efficacy, endoscopic ablative modalities have largely usurped medical treatments as first-line therapy, particularly using argon plasma coagulation. The actual GAVE prevalence in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is not clear, yet in difficult cases it should be considered as a cause of erythropoietin resistance. Case presentation. We report four clinical cases of GAVE syndrome patients diagnosed with stage 4 to 5 chronic kidney disease. All patients presented with anaemia and GI haemorrhage, the origin of which turned out to be GAVE syndrome. Conclusions. GAVE syndrome is a serious condition in ESRD patients, especially in those presenting with treatment-refractory anaemia. Realization of its aetiology and characteristics is essential to suspect, diagnose, and treat gastric ectasia. Only proper diagnosis and well-timed disease treatment can significantly improve a patient’s medical condition and future prognosis.

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) can cause recurrent bleeding and chronic anemia in children with portal hypertension (PHT). We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of EBL in comparison to argon plasma coagulation (APC) in children with PHT, bleeding from GAVE. This prospective comparative study included 40 children with PHT who presented with nonvariceal GIT bleeding from GAVE. Patients were divided into 2 groups, each including 20 cases: one group was managed with APC and the other with EBL. Endoscopy was repeated every 3–4 weeks until complete ablation of GAVE. Patients were reevaluated earlier in the event of recurrence of bleeding or in case of severe anemia necessitating blood transfusion. A follow-up endoscopy was done 6 months after the last APC or EBL session. The ages ranged between 2 and 16 years. The EBL group required a significantly lower number of sessions for complete obliteration of the lesions (1.85 ± 0.81) as compared to APC group (4.15 ± 1.22), p < 0.05. EBL was superior to APC as regards shorter procedure time (p = 0.001), lower blood transfusion requirement (p < 0.05), less hospitalization (p < 0.05) and significantly lower recurrence rate of GAVE after 6 months of follow up (p = 0.01) EBL is more effective and time saving when compared to APC in treatment of bleeding from GAVE in children. Treatment study, Level II (prospective comparative study). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is a rare but severe cause of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in the elderly, meanwhile, it is commonly associated with connective tissue diseases. The GAVE diagnosis is clinically challenging due to its little-known characteristic symptoms and limited case studies. A 43-years-old male patient with pulmonary tuberculosis complained of chronic dyspepsia and GI bleeding. Hence, gastric tuberculosis was suspected. Initially, this diagnosis was not suitable as GAVE considering that the patient had chronic GI symptoms with underlying tuberculosis, middle-age, and no other organs issue was affected except the lung, however, upper GI endoscopy discovered watermelon stripes pattern. Therefore, GAVE diagnosis was established with differential diagnosis gastric tuberculosis while histopathology results further confirmed GAVE diagnosis. Appropriate treatment was given until there was no further dyspepsia and GI bleeding. GAVE diagnosis needs to be considered in middle-aged patients with pulmonary tuberculosis as an unusual comorbid, specifically, in gastric tuberculosis-suspected patient before endoscopy due to chronic dyspepsia and GI bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is a capillary-type vascular malformation of the gastric antrum and an infrequent cause of chronic gastrointestinal blood loss and iron deficiency anemia. The authors describe a case report of GAVE in a female cirrhotic patient presenting with severe symptomatic iron deficiency anemia. After failure of argon plasma coagulation (APC), the patient was treated with endoscopic band ligation (EBL) with resolution of anemia, without new episodes of rebleeding and no need for further hospitalizations or transfusion requirements. Even though APC is the current treatment of choice for GAVE recurrence-free survival at one year is achieved in less than 50% of the patients and failed therapy has been described in up to 14% of the patients. EBL has been reported to be a relatively easy technique for GAVE therapy and has been shown to be safe and effective with lower complication rates in comparison with APC. This technique may in the future be used as the initial endoscopic treatment to eradicate GAVE.

Introduction: Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is a rare vasculopathy that associates several diseases, most commonly liver cirrhosis. It usually presents as an occult gastrointestinal bleeding leading to profound iron deficiency anemia. We hypothesized that GAVE is local mucosal pathology dependent on genetic mechanisms, and the purpose of the study was to characterize miRNAs expression in gastric tissue of patients with cirrhosis and GAVE. Materials and methods: Thirteen patients with GAVE and cirrhosis and 35 healthy subjects were recruited. Microarray analysis and comparative microRNA study was done by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The microarray scores were grouped with use of the hierarchical clusterization analysis and miRNA target prediction was done with TargetScan 6.2 algorithm and Gene Ontology analysis (DIANA-miRPath). Results: Concentration of miR-3677 in GAVE-affected mucosa was higher by 72% in comparison with GAVE-free mucosa of patients with cirrhosis (33.7 vs. 35.6 PCR cycles; p<.001) and by 45% in comparison with normal mucosa (33.7 vs. 34.9 PCR cycles; p<.05). According to Gene Ontology analysis miR- 3677 was related to angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) gene. Conclusion: GAVE in liver cirrhosis is associated with increased expression of miR-3667 that may be linked with ANGPTL4 gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric antral vascular ectasia is an infrequent cause of high gastric hemorrhage, responsible of the 4% of high gastric non-variceal hemorrhages. The diagnosis is based on endoscopic findings and its most accepted treatment is argon plasma coagulation. It is presented a case of a woman with recurrent digestive hemorrhages in the form of melena and anemia, who was performed a high digestive endoscopy with resulting a diagnosis of vascular ectasia of the gastric antro. Later she was treated satisfactorily with argon plasma coagulation without complications. The resent work is aimed at reviewing an unusual cause of digestive bleeding and its treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major cause of cirrhosis related morbidity and mortality is the development of variceal bleeding, a direct consequence of portal hypertension. Less common causes of gastrointestinal bleeding are peptic ulcers, malignancy, angiodysplasia, etc. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding has been classified according to the presence of a variceal or non-variceal bleeding. Although non-variceal gastrointestinal bleeding is not common in cirrhotic patients, gastroduodenal ulcers may develop as often as non-cirrhotic patients. Ulcers in cirrhotic patients may be more severe and less frequently associated with chronic intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and may require more frequently endoscopic treatment. Portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) refers to changes in the mucosa of the stomach in patients with portal hypertension. Patients with portal hypertension may experience bleeding from the stomach, and pharmacologic or radiologic interventional procedure may be useful in preventing re-bleeding from PHG. Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) seems to be different disease entity from PHG, and endoscopic ablation can be the first-line treatment.

Abstract: Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) continues to be a challenge in both diagnosis and treatment. GAVE has a diverse group of associations and presumed causes, including cirrhosis, chronic renal failure and autoimmune connective tissue diseases. However, in most occasions, the management plan of GAVE itself is the same whatever the underlying disease by using Argon plasma coagulation (APC). Herein, we will discuss three cases of systemic sclerosis‐associated GAVE presenting with either acute or chronic gastrointestinal bleeding showing variable responses to APC. Anemia and telangiectasia may be the first striking presentation of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Renal artery stenosis, aortic stenosis, widespread cutaneous and mucosal telangiectasia and hypertension seem to be associated with poor prognosis and should prompt rapid intervention and careful follow‐up. Moreover, the hunt for molecular underpinnings of the broad array of vascular lesions in SSc has to include von Willebrand factor and endoglin. Eventually, we will review the recent alternatives that can be effective in SSc‐GAVE, such as band ligation, hematopoietic stem cells transplantation and immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE), also known as "waterme"lon stomach, is an uncommon condition, which can cause gastrointestinal bleeding due to rupture of blood vessels that line the stomach. The pathogenesis of GAVE remains unclear; however it is thought that hemodynamic changes, mechanical stress, and autoimmune factors all have a part to play. A range of conditions are also commonly associated with the syndrome, such as portal hypertensive gastropathy, liver cirrhosis, and autoimmune disorders. Less commonly, chronic renal failure, cardiac diseases, and bone marrow transplantation have coexisted with GAVE. The diagnosis is usually based on visualization of the tissue upon endoscopy; however, histology plays a role in uncertain cases. The typical "watermelon" appearance relates to the tissue having a striped appearance radiating out from the pylorus. Medical treatment has failed to show satisfactory results and surgery is usually considered as a last resort, due to its increased risk for complications and mortality. Lasers and argon plasma coagulation have been used recently, and been shown to be as effective as surgery and a safer option. We present three cases of gastric antral vascular ectasia treated at our institution with radiofrequency ablation and review the literature on treatment modalities for GAVE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) and chronic radiation proctitis (CRP) are well-known causes of repeated gastrointestinal bleeding and iron deficiency anemia. Argon plasma coagulation (APC) is the most common endoscopic therapy used, but some patients need multiple APC sessions. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is recently used in GAVE and CRP treatment with promising results. In this case series, we analyzed data for 15 patients with GAVE and 5 patients with CRP that had multiple prior APC treatment. They were treated with RFA HALO 90 catheter (HALO90 Ablation Catheter System; Covidien, GI Solutions, Sunnyvale, CA) in our tertiary referral center. A total of 20 patients received 32 RFA procedures (8 in the CRP group and 24 in the GAVE group). The median number of the procedures was 2 (range 1-4). The hemoglobin levels in the GAVE group were 83 g/L pre-RFA and 98 g/L post-RFA and in the CRP group, 86 g/L pre-RFA and 103 g/L post-RFA. A total of 16/20 patients (80%) were transfusion-free after the completion of RFA treatment. Technical success of the treatment was 95% (19/20 patients). RFA can be safely and successfully used in APC refractory GAVE and CRP patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is known to be characterized by red patches or spots in a diffuse or linear array in the antrum of the stomach. The precise etiology of GAVE remains to be elucidated. Argon plasma laser coagulation (APC) has been used to control oozing from GAVE; however, there is no satisfactory long-term effect of APC in the control of oozing from GAVE. An acid reducer is used after APC because even physiological acid exposure might delay post-APC ulcer healing. We describe the case of a patient who had used an acid reducer and experienced repeated gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to GAVE. After ceasing to administer the acid reducer, incidences of hospitalization due to oozing from GAVE stopped. After the administration of the acid reducer was restarted, the patient had tarry stool, and diffuse oozing of blood was seen again. We report a first case of GAVE which was aggravated by acid reducer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrointestinal tract involvement in systemic sclerosis concerns more than 90% of patients but is of heterogeneous clinical expression. It can involve the entire intestinal tract and be responsible for multifactorial malnutrition, which is frequent in this disease. It is a major source of deterioration in the quality of life and can even be life-threatening. Management is complex and multidisciplinary, ranging from simple hygienic and dietary measures, to specialized endoscopic or surgical interventional procedures, also including medical treatments, particularly proton pump inhibitors and prokinetics, with potential side effects. Ongoing research for new diagnostic and therapeutic tools promises to improve the management and prognosis of these patients., (Copyright © 2023 Société Nationale Française de Médecine Interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)