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

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.