European Reference Network for Rare Vascular Diseases (VASCERN): When and how to use intravenous bevacizumab in Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT)?

Eur J Med Genet. 2022 Oct;65(10):104575. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2022.104575. Epub 2022 Aug 5.

Abstract

Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare vascular multisystemic disease that leads to epistaxis, anaemia due to blood loss, and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in organs such as the lungs, liver and brain. HHT prevalence is estimated at 1/6000, i.e. around 85,000 European citizens, and is served by the European Reference Network for Rare Multisystemic Vascular Diseases (VASCERN). HHT treatments depend on clinical manifestations, and span multiple different medical, surgical and interventional disciplines. Separate to local treatments in the nose, in severe settings, intravenous bevacizumab has been proposed as treatment option, and the purpose of the current article is to assess the use of intravenous bevacizumab in patients with HHT in 2022 according to available data.

Keywords: Anaemia; Bevacizumab; Digestive bleeding; Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia; Iron deficiency; Nosebleeds.

MeSH terms

  • Arteriovenous Malformations*
  • Bevacizumab / therapeutic use
  • Epistaxis / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Rare Diseases
  • Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic* / drug therapy

Substances

  • Bevacizumab