Anaemia in a Patient with Diffuse Systemic Scleroderma

Abstract

We hereby present a case of anaemia in a 73 years old patient with known past medical history of diffuse systemic scleroderma, who presented with acute onset of dizziness and haemetemesis. Blood tests revealed sudden drop of hae moglobin and an urgent gastroscopy revealed gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) or “ watermelon stomach ” . GAVE is a rare but well recognised cause of acute bleeding in systemic scleroderma patients and should be kept as a differential diagnosis in the work up of anaemia in these patients.