Analysis of risk factor and clinical characteristics of angiodysplasia presenting as upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Kim, Dae Bum; Chung, Woo Chul; Lee, Seok Jong; Sung, Hea Jung; Woo, Seokyung; Kim, Hyo Suk; Jeong, Yeon Oh; Lee, Hyewon; Kim, Yeon Ji

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Angiodysplasia is important in the differential diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), but the clinical features and outcomes associated with UGIB from angiodysplasia have not been characterized. We aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics and outcomes of angiodysplasia presented as UGIB.
METHODS
Between January 2004 and December 2013, a consecutive series of patients admitted with UGIB were retrospectively analyzed. Thirty-five patients with bleeding from angiodysplasia were enrolled. We compared them with an asymptomatic control group (incidental finding of angiodysplasia in health screening, n = 58) and bleeding control group (simultaneous finding of angiodysplasia and peptic ulcer bleeding, n = 28).
RESULTS
When patients with UGIB from angiodysplasia were compared with the asymptomatic control group, more frequent rates of nonantral location and large sized lesion (â‰¥ 1 cm) were evident in multivariate analysis. When these patients were compared with the bleeding control group, they were older (mean age: 67.94 ± 9.16 years vs.55.07 ± 13.29 years, p = 0.03) and received less transfusions (p = 0.03). They also had more frequent rate of recurrence (40.0% vs. 20.7%, p = 0.02).
CONCLUSIONS
Non-antral location and large lesions (â‰¥ 1 cm) could be risk factors of UGIB of angiodysplasia. UGIB due to angiodysplasia was more common in older patients. Transfusion requirement would be less and a tendency of clinical recurrence might be apparent.