Etiology or Pathogenesis
The literature, from 1953 through 2010, often cited that the etiology or pathogenesis of watermelon disease are unknown.
Gender has some relationship to the etiology. 65% of patients with both cirrhosis and GAVE are male, but a total of 30% have both conditions. The causal connection between cirrhosis and GAVE has not been proven.
A connective tissue disease has been suspected in some cases.
Autoimmunity may have something to do with it, as 25% of all sclerosis patients who had a certain anti-RNA marker have GAVE. RNA autoimmunity has been suspected as a cause or marker since at least 1996.
One theory current since the 1990s focuses on a history of prolapse of the stomach into the small intestine.
Gastrin levels may indicate a hormonal connection. This may be due to a "vasoactive intestinal peptide and 5-hydroxy-tryptamine…".
It is also possible that infection by H. pylori can cause it.
Read more about this topic: Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia