A prospective controlled evaluation of endoscopic detection of angiodysplasia and its association with aortic valve disease.
BACKGROUND
In view of controversy about the association of aortic stenosis and angiodysplasia of the gut, we performed a prospective, controlled study to evaluate the relationship between aortic valve disease and gastrointestinal angiodysplasia.


METHODS
Forty patients who had endoscopy for clinical indications such as gastrointestinal bleeding, anemia, polyps, colon cancer, and dyspepsia, and who were found to have angiodysplasia of the gastrointestinal tract, underwent two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography. Thirty-seven controls matched for age, sex, indication, and nature of endoscopic examination, but without angiodysplasia, underwent similar echocardiographic examination.


RESULTS
None of the patients in either group had aortic stenosis. The prevalence of aortic sclerosis, aortic insufficiency, and low left ventricular ejection fraction was similar in patients with and without angiodysplasia.


CONCLUSIONS
This study does not support the role of aortic valve disease as the cause of angiodysplasia of the gastrointestinal tract. A subgroup of patients with angiodysplasia with aortic sclerosis, with or without other valvular disease (but none with aortic stenosis), had increased prevalence of gastrointestinal bleeding when compared with controls. When aortic valve disease or decreased left ventricular ejection fraction were analyzed as independent predictors, none of them in and of itself appeared to be a factor in bleeding from these gastrointestinal lesions.
Bhutani
M S
MS
Department of Medicine, Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio, USA.
Gupta
S C
SC
Markert
R J
RJ
Barde
C J
CJ
Donese
R
R
Gopalswamy
N
N
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016888:Angiodysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000473:pathology*; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012598:Sclerosis; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology