Improvement of severe systemic sclerosis-associated gastric antral vascular ectasia following immunosuppressive treatment with intravenous cyclophosphamide.

Publication/Presentation Date

8-1-2009

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We describe 3 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with severe, transfusion-dependent gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) refractory to laser ablation who showed remarkable clinical and endoscopic improvement following intravenous (IV) pulse cyclophosphamide (CYC) treatment.

METHODS: Review of clinical records and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy images from 3 patients with SSc and severe GAVE before and after treatment with IV pulse CYC.

RESULTS: IV CYC was followed by improvement and stabilization of hemoglobin levels, and marked reduction in blood transfusion requirements and the number and frequency of endoscopic laser treatments.

CONCLUSION: IV pulse CYC immunosuppression was followed by remarkable clinical and endoscopic improvement of SSc-associated GAVE.

Volume

36

Issue

8

First Page

1653

Last Page

1656

ISSN

0315-162X

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

19605670

Department(s)

Department of Medicine

Document Type

Article

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