4 Efficacy
This section describes efficacy outcomes from the published literature that the Committee considered as part of the evidence about this procedure. For more detailed information on the evidence, see the overview.
4.1
A case series of 24 patients with gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) treated by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) reported that 65% (15) of the 23 patients who were transfusion‑dependent during the 6 months before RFA did not need any transfusions during the 6 months after RFA. A case series of 21 patients with GAVE refractory to argon plasma coagulation therapy, who were treated by RFA, reported clinical success (defined as complete independence from the need for transfusions during the 6‑month follow‑up period) in 86% (18 out of 21) of patients, with no evidence of GAVE on follow‑up endoscopy.
4.2
The case series of 24 patients reported a significant increase in their mean haemoglobin level from 6.8±1.4 g/dl 6 months before RFA to 9.8±1.8 g/dl 6 months after RFA (p<0.001). The case series of 21 patients reported a significant increase in their mean haemoglobin level from 7.8 g/dl (standard deviation [SD] 1.0) 6 months before RFA to 10.2 g/dl (SD 1.4) 6 months after RFA for the 86% (18 out of 21) of patients in whom there was clinical success (p<0.001).
4.3
The specialist advisers listed key efficacy outcomes as eradication of GAVE, resolution of anaemia and reduction in the need for blood transfusion.