Ischemic Gastritis: A Multicenter Case Series of a Rare Clinical Entity and a Review of the Literature

Abstract

Goals: To report a case series of ischemic gastritis and discuss its etiology, management, and associated mortality according to our results and the published English literature.

Background: Ischemic gastritis is rare, given the rich blood supply of the stomach. It has been reported in isolated case reports and small case series. Most cases are vascular in origin and associated with a high mortality.

Study: Pathology databases from 3 hospitals affiliated with the University of Minnesota Medical School were searched for cases of ischemic gastritis in the last 10 years. Patients' demographics, clinical course, and 1-month and 1-year mortalities were collected from electronic medical records.

Results: A total of 12 patients were identified (age range, 32.1 to 83.2), the largest series reported to date. The presenting symptom was gastrointestinal bleeding (8), abdominal pain (2), nausea (1), and symptomatic anemia (1). The etiology included postinterventional radiology embolization (2), hemodynamic changes in the setting of celiac axis stenosis (2), vasculitis (1), systemic hypotension (1), and unknown (6). Treatment included steroid therapy, revascularization by interventional radiology, surgery, or supportive treatment. Thirty-day and 1-year mortalities were 33% and 41%, respectively.

Conclusions: Ischemic gastritis is rare, but associated with a high mortality. Evaluation for treatable etiologies should be sought and corrected if present.