Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia treated with low dose intravenous bevacizumab

Abstract

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disorder that leads to mucocutaneous telangiectasias, epistaxis, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Depending on the severity and manifestation of the disease, various therapeutic modalities have been used, from local bleeding control to surgery or concomitant drug therapy. Several articles under review have presented guidelines for treatment of HHT with bevacizumab as a direct anti-angiogenesis strategy. Still, neither the exact optimal dose nor the minimum effective dose of intravenous bevacizumab in patients with severe HHT has been reported. A 55-year-old man presented with long-standing epistaxis, recent melena, dizziness, and a three-generation family history of chronic epistaxis, anemia, and regular blood transfusions. Treatment with argon plasma coagulation (APC) for the gastrointestinal bleeding failed to raise hemoglobin levels, we considered using the bevacizumab. We report a patient with severe HHT, who was treated with low-dose bevacizumab (2 mg/kg) and improved substantially.