Bleeding gastric vascular ectasia treated by argon plasma coagulation: a comparison between patients with and without cirrhosis.
BACKGROUND
Gastric vascular ectasia (GVE) is an uncommon etiology of GI bleeding. GVE can affect not only patients with cirrhosis but also patients with a variety of chronic diseases.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to compare clinical and endoscopic patient characteristics and responses to treatment by argon plasma coagulation (APC) of bleeding GVE between patients with cirrhosis and noncirrhotic patients.


METHODS
Retrospective study of consecutive patients.


METHODS
Between January 2001 and December 2005, 30 patients were treated by APC for bleeding GVE.


METHODS
Clinical and endoscopic features and APC treatment success were compared between patients with cirrhosis (group 1) and noncirrhotic patients (group 2).


METHODS
Endoscopic treatment efficacy was assessed on the recurrence of symptoms after APC.


RESULTS
Seventeen patients were cirrhotic and 13 had no cirrhosis. Cirrhotic patients presented more frequently with overt bleeding (65% vs 15%) and noncirrhotic patients with occult bleeding with iron deficiency anemia (35% vs 85%, P= .01). Endoscopy in noncirrhotic patients revealed more frequently a "watermelon" appearance (23.5% vs 76.9%, P= .008). Endoscopic treatment by APC was successful in 83.3% of patients (88.2% vs 76.9%, not significant). Patients from group 2 required significantly more APC sessions to achieve a complete treatment (2.18 vs 3.77, P= .04).


CONCLUSIONS
APC treatment of bleeding GVE was efficient and safe in cirrhotic and noncirrhotic patients in more than 80% of cases. Noncirrhotic patients required significantly more APC sessions to achieve a complete treatment. An endoscopic watermelon appearance and the use of antiplatelet drugs were associated with failure of APC.
Lecleire
Stéphane
S
Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Endoscopy Unit, ADEN-EA3234/IFRMP23 Research Group, Rouen University Hospital Charles-Nicolle, Rouen, France.
Ben-Soussan
Emmanuel
E
Antonietti
Michel
M
Goria
Odile
O
Riachi
Ghassan
G
Lerebours
Eric
E
Ducrotté
Philippe
P
D000368:Aged; D001128:Argon / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015897:Comorbidity; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D005260:Female; D020252:Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005773:Gastroscopy; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D001128:Argon