title: Antral mucosal perfusion is not increased in GAVE.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although a common cause of intestinal blood loss, the pathophysiology of gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is not well understood. We aimed to evaluate gastric antral and body mucosal flow in GAVE patients compared to a control population using laser Doppler flowmetry.
  
  
  METHODS
  27 patients with GAVE and 11 control patients without GAVE were evaluated using an endoscopic LDF probe. The probe was placed in the gastric antrum and body in order to calculate standardized mucosal flow rates recorded as perfusion units (PU).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite its hyperemic appearance and propensity to bleed, antral blood flow was not increased in GAVE: 115.5 PU (IQR: [94.4, 135.9 PU]) in GAVE versus 123.7 PU (IQR: [109.7, 186.5 PU]) in controls. There was a significant gradient between the gastric body and antral blood flow in GAVE (p < 0.001) that was not evident in controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that antral mucosal blood flow is not increased in GAVE despite its grossly hyperemic appearance. A mild but statistically significant gradient was noted between the gastric antrum and body in patients with GAVE compared to controls. The pathophysiological significance of this finding is uncertain.
authors.affiliation: a The Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , VA , USA.
authors.forename: Bezawit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tekola
authors.affiliation: a The Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , VA , USA.
authors.forename: Elliot
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: a The Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , VA , USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.affiliation: b Department of Public Health Sciences , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , VA , USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Patrie
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pathology , University of Virginia Health System , Charlottesville , VA , USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moskaluk
authors.affiliation: a The Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , VA , USA.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caldwell
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000150:complications; D020252:Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005773:Gastroscopy; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D013270:Stomach / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors
keywords: GAVE; PPI; anemia; gastric mucosal perfusion; watermelon stomach