Urgent Endoscopy in Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage:A Retrospective Analysis

Objective:The role of urgent endoscopy in nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage(NVUGIH)remains controversial.We designed a retrospective study to compare the outcomes between urgent endoscopy(within 12 h)and non-urgent endoscopy for patients with NVUGIH.Methods:A total of 540 hospitalized patients with NVUGIH were included in our study.Patients who received endoscopy within 12 h or after 12 h were divided into two groups,the urgent and non-urgent endoscopy groups,respectively.The clinical outcomes including rebleeding,mortality,endoscopic re-intervention,need for emergency surgery and interventional radiotherapy were compared between the groups.Patients with Glasgow-Blatchford scores(GBS)<12 and>12 were defined as the lower-and high-risk groups,respectively,and the predictors of rebleeding and mortality in both groups were analyzed individually.Results:Patients with NVUGIH in the urgent endoscopy group had a higher rate of rebleeding(27.6%vs.16.9%,P=0.003)and blood transfusion(73.2%vs.55.5%,P<0.001)than those in the non-urgent endoscopy group,while the mortality and the length of hospitalization were not significantly different between the groups(P>0.05).For lower-risk patients,urgent endoscopy was independently associated with a higher likelihood of rebleeding(adjusted OR:1.73,95%CI:1.03-2.88),while it was not associated with in-hospital mortality.However,the urgent need for endoscopy was not associated with rebleeding and in-hospital mortality in high-risk patients.Conclusion:Endoscopy within 12 h did not provide any advantage in the outcomes of patients with NVUGIH,and may even lead to an increased rebleeding rate in lower-risk patients.

Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage caused by superwarfarin poisoning

Superwarfarins are a class of rodenticides. Gastrointestinal hemorrhage is a fatal complication of superwarfarin poisoning, requiring immediate treatment. Here, we report a 55-year-old woman with tardive upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage caused by superwarfarin poisoning after endoscopic cold mucosal biopsy.

Pseudoxantoma elasticum,as a repetitive upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage cause in a pregnant woman

Pseudoxantoma elasticum is a rare, hereditary, multisystemic disease affecting the skin, eye, and cardiovascular system. A twenty-eight-year-old female has presented to emergency unit with the complaint of gastrointestinal hemorrhage. This patient, who had been monitored in the gastroenterology clinic more than 10 times in the past 8 years, noted a repetitive hemorrhage during her previous pregnancy in her history. The examination of the patient revealed the following signs and symptoms： atrophy in the epithelium of the retina pigment; typical angioid streaks and peau d＇orange finding in the fundus; thinning of the retinal nerve fiber in OCT （optic coherence tomography）; bilateral and reticular papillary lesions with yellowish- color in the neck region （plucked chicken appearance）; presence of bleeding loci in fundus, and nephrocalcinosis in kidneys. In light of these symptoms, the patient was diagnosed with pseudoxantoma elasticum. Skin biopsy confirmed the pseudoxantoma elasticum diagnose. PXE is an uncommon, hereditary disease. Early diagnosis of pseudoxantoma elasticum cases, is important for minimalizing systemic complications and informing the other family members through genetic counseling.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding etiology score for predicting variceal and non-variceal bleeding

AIM： To identify clinical parameters, and develop an Upper Gastrointesinal Bleeding （UGIB） Etiology Score for predicting the types of UGIB and validate the score. METHODS： Patients with UGIB who underwent endoscopy within 72 h were enrolled. Clinical and basic laboratory parameters were prospectively collected. Predictive factors for the types of UGIB were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses and were used to generate the UGIB Etiology Score. The best cutoff of the score was defined from the receiver operating curve and prospectively validated in another set of patients with UGIB. RESULTS： Among 261 patients with UGIB, 47 （18%） had variceal and 214 （82%） had non-variceal bleeding. Univariate analysis identified 27 distinct parameters significantly associated with the types of UGIB. Logistic regression analysis identified only 3 independent factors for predicting variceal bleeding; previous diagnosis of cirrhosis or signs of chronic liver disease （OR 22.4, 95% CI 8.3-60.4, P 〈 0.001）, red vomitus （OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.8-11.9, P = 0.02）, and red nasogastric （NG） aspirate （OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.3-8.3, P = 0.011）. The UGIB Etiology Score was calculated from （3.1× previous diagnosis of cirrhosis or signs of chronic liver disease） ＋ （1.5× red vomitus） ＋ （1.2× red NG aspirate）, when 1 and 0 are used for the presence and absence of each factor, respectively. Using a cutoff ≥ 3.1, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value （PPV）, and negative predictive value （NPV） in predicting variceal bleeding were 85%, 81%, 82%, 50%, and 96%, respectively. The score was prospectively validated in cases （46 variceal and 149 another set of 195 UGIB non-variceal bleeding）. The PPV and NPV of a score ≥ 3.1 for variceal bleeding were 79% and 97%, respectively. CONCLUSION： The UGIB Etiology Score, composed of 3 parameters, using a cutoff ≥ 3.1 accurately predicted variceal bleeding and may help to guide the choice of initial therapy for UGIB before endoscopy.

Sinistral portal hypertension associated with pancreatic pseudocysts - ultrasonography findings: A case report

BACKGROUND Sinistral portal hypertension associated with pancreatic pseudocysts is rare,often caused by extrinsic compression of splenic vein,the follow-up examinations by ultrasonography for early diagnosis are quietly necessary since haematemesis,a life-threatening condition.Few studies have reported the ultrasonography findings of sinistral portal hypertension.CASE SUMMARY A 52-year-old man presented with acute abdominal pain after drinking,steatorrhea,weight loss and accidentally melena in the past 2 mo.He underwent ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration in other hospital and diagnosed with pancreatic pseudocysts.Ultrasonography imaging,in our department,appeared as cystic heterogeneous hypoechoic area with the size of 4.7 cm×3.8 cm that located posterior to the body and tail of pancreas,adjacent to splenic vein associated with thrombosis resulted from compression.Spleen incrassated to approximately 7.3 cm,but no dilation of main portal vein was presented.Color Doppler Flow Imaging demonstrated the formation of splenic venous collateral,nevertheless no significantly flow signals was observed in splenic vein.Pulsed Doppler revealed that the peak velocity of splenic venous collateral was 18.4 cm/s with continuous waveform.Laparotomy confirmed sinistral portal hypertension associated with pancreatic pseudocysts,subsequently distal pancreatectomy combined with splenectomy and partial gastrectomy was performed.CONCLUSION It’s important clinically to know the ultrasound appearance of sinistral portal hypertension associated with pancreatic pseudocysts for sonographer and physician.

Endoclips vs large or small-volume epinephrine in peptic ulcer recurrent bleeding

AIM:To compare the recurrent bleeding after endoscopic injection of different epinephrine volumes with hemoclips in patients with bleeding peptic ulcer.METHODS:Between January 2005 and December 2009,150 patients with gastric or duodenal bleeding ulcer with major stigmata of hemorrhage and nonbleeding visible vessel in an ulcer bed(Forrest Ⅱa) were included in the study.Patients were randomized to receive a small-volume epinephrine group(15 to 25 mL injection group;Group 1,n = 50),a large-volume epinephrine group(30 to 40 mL injection group;Group 2,n = 50) and a hemoclip group(Group 3,n = 50).The rate of recurrent bleeding,as the primary outcome,was compared between the groups of patients included in the study.Secondary outcomes compared between the groups were primary hemostasis rate,permanent hemostasis,need for emergency surgery,30 d mortality,bleeding-related deaths,length of hospital stay and transfusion requirements.RESULTS:Initial hemostasis was obtained in all patients.The rate of early recurrent bleeding was 30%(15/50) in the small-volume epinephrine group(Group 1) and 16%(8/50) in the large-volume epinephrine group(Group 2)(P = 0.09).The rate of recurrent bleeding was 4%(2/50) in the hemoclip group(Group 3);the difference was statistically significant with regard to patients treated with either small-volume or large-volume epinephrine solution(P = 0.0005 and P = 0.045,respectively).Duration of hospital stay was significantly shorter among patients treated with hemoclips than among patients treated with epinephrine whereas there were no differences in transfusion requirement or even 30 d mortality between the groups.CONCLUSION:Endoclip is superior to both small and large volume injection of epinephrine in the prevention of recurrent bleeding in patients with peptic ulcer.

COMPARISON OF RANITIDINE AND PANTOPRAZOLE FOR STRESS ULCER BLEEDING PROPHYLAXIS IN CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS REQUIRING MECHANICAL VENTILATION

Objective To compare the efficacy of Ranitidine and Pantoprazole for the prevention of haemorrhage from stress ulcer among critical care patients. Methods A total of 121 critically ill patients were included in this retrospective study. The choice of pharmacologic stress ulcer prophylaxis were either Ranitidine or Pantoprazole. The primary outcome was the incidence of stress-related significant upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and the secondary outcome was the incidence of hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP). Results A total of 63 patients were given Ranitidine, and 58 patients were given Pantoprazole for stress ulcer bleeding prophylaxis. Nine patients (7.44%, 9/121) developed clinically-important upper gastrointestinal bleeding, including 5 (7.94%, 5/63) in the Ranitidine group, and 4 (6.90%,4/58) in the Pantoprazole group. The rate of HAP was 3.17% (2/63) in the Ranitidine group, and 15.52% (9/58) in the Pantoprazole group. Conclusion Ranitidine was associated with lower rates of HAP as compared with Pantoprazole, with no statistically significant difference in clinically-important gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Because of limited trial data, future well-designed and powerful randomized, clinical trials are warranted.