Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding associated with cirrhosis. The first-line treatment is endoscopic therapy with argon plasma coagulation (APC). There is a high recurrence rate, but some evidence suggests that thalidomide could play an important role in controlling refractory anaemia due to GAVE. The authors present the case of a cirrhotic patient with a recent diagnosis of GAVE, who underwent multiple endoscopic treatments and blood transfusions because of haematemesis. The patient started thalidomide and 6 months later, there was no recurrence of haematemesis and haemoglobin levels were stable, with no reported adverse effects.
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