What Is GAVE?

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is an uncommon cause of chronic gastrointestinal bleeding or iron deficiency anemia. The condition is associated with dilated small blood vessels in the antrum, or the last part of the stomach. The dilated vessels result in intestinal bleeding. It is also called watermelon stomach because streaky long red areas that are present in the stomach may resemble the markings on watermelon.The condition was first discovered in 1952, and reported in the literature in 1953. Watermelon disease was first diagnosed by Wheeler et al. in 1979, and definitively described in four living patients by Jabbari et al. only in 1984. As of 2011, the etiology and pathogenesis are still not known. However, there are several competing hypotheses as to various etiologies (Wikipedia)

Friday, July 20, 2012

Differential Diagnosis

GAVE results in intestinal bleeding similar to duodenal ulcers and portal hypertension.The GI bleeding can result in anemia, as well as occult blood in the stool.  It is often overlooked, but can be more common in elderly patients.   It has been seen in patients as young as 38 years of age.
Watermelon stomach has a different etiology and has a differential diagnosis from portal hypertension.  In fact, cirrhosis and portal hypertension may be missing in a patient with GAVE.  The differential diagnosis is important because treatments are different
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