PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - STEFFAN W. SCHULZ
AU  - MARIE O’BRIEN
AU  - MUHAMMAD MAQSOOD
AU  - NORA SANDORFI
AU  - FRANCESCO DEL GALDO
AU  - SERGIO A. JIMENEZ
TI  - Improvement of Severe Systemic Sclerosis-associated Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia Following Immunosuppressive Treatment with Intravenous Cyclophosphamide
AID  - 10.3899/jrheum.081247
DP  - 2009 Aug 01
TA  - The Journal of Rheumatology
PG  - 1653--1656
VI  - 36
IP  - 8
4099  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/36/8/1653.short
4100  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/36/8/1653.full
SO  - J Rheumatol2009 Aug 01; 36
AB  - 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.