Grooteman KV, et al. - In this case-control study involving 270 patients with angiodysplasia and 5594 controls, researchers identified risk factors that distinguish between incidental angiodysplasias and angiodysplasias causing symptomatic bleeding. Male sex, thyroid dysfunction, autoimmune disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and blood thinners were independent risk factors for incidental angiodysplasias. In addition to the characteristics of angiodysplasia, factors independently associated with symptomatic angiodysplasia include increased age, valvular heart disease, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia. Findings revealed that the risk factor profile for incidental angiodysplasias varies from symptomatic angiodysplasias and was more profound for the latter. This knowledge might help endoscopists to treat an endoscopically detected angiodysplasia in the decision-making process.