Gastrointestinal telangietasia as a cause of severe blood loss in systemic sclerosis.

Two patients with progressive scleroderma had severe gastrointestinal blood loss. Endoscopical examination revealed multiple telangiectase in the upper gastrointestinal tract, especially in the stomach. The telangiectases in the skin and the mucosa in systemic sclerosis are indistinguishable endoscopically and histologically from those seen in hereditary hemaorrhagic telangiectasia. Recurrent and severe gastrointestinal hemorrhage originating from telangiectases is an unusual complication of systemic sclerosis.