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- Title
GASTRIC ANTRAL VASCULAR ECTASIA IN A 62 YEAR-OLD LADY WITH CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKAEMIA.
- Authors
M., Nazri; A. R., Rozanah; Y. Y., Lee; C. H., Nor Aizal; Y., Maya Mazuwin; S. A., Syed Hassan
- Abstract
Introduction: Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) was first described in 1953. Also known as 'watermelon stomach', this uncommon cause of gastrointestinal blood loss is characterised by red patches or spots either in a linear fashion or diffusely spread in the gastric antrum. Classically, GAVE patients are middle-aged females with concomitant autoimmune disease. GAVE has also been associated with liver cirrhosis, haematopoeitic stem cell transplantation, end-stage renal disease, diabetes melitus and hypothyroidism. Case Report: We report a 62 year-old Malay lady currently on treatment for chronic myeloid leukaemia with imatinib mesylate (Glivec®). She has past history of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and breast carcinoma. She presented with the complaint of having poor effort tolerance and excessive fatigue. There were also episodes of passing out blackish stools. She was pale on admission with a haemoglobin level of 6.7g/dL. Per rectal examination did not reveal any melaena, but stool occult blood was positive. Subsequent oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (OGDS) revealed a characteristic 'watermelon stomach' pattern. She was initially started on a high dose proton-pump inhibitor infusion which a week later was converted to high dose oral maintenance therapy. Repeat OGDS two months later showed resolution of the linear gastric antrum lesions. Discussion & Conclusions: GAVE, a rare cause of gastrointestinal blood loss, is being increasingly recognised as a cause of persistent acute or occult gastrointestinal bleeding especially in elderly women. An increased awareness of GAVE will hopefully facilitate the early identification and treatment of this disease entity.
- Subjects
GASTROINTESTINAL diseases; GASTROINTESTINAL hemorrhage; DUODENOSCOPY; PROTON pump inhibitors; DISEASES in women
- Publication
Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, 2008, p182
- ISSN
1394-195X
- Publication type
Article