Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Research Articles

Hyperplastic Polyps Discovered Because of Unprovoked Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding as an Unusual Presentation of Malignancy

Gastric hyperplastic polyps are small (<1 cm), asymptomatic, and found incidentally on esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Patients can present with dyspepsia, abdominal pain, anemia from chronic occult bleeding, and, rarely, acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Helicobacter pylori, autoimmune gastritis, and long-term use of proton-pump inhibitors can increase the risk for hyperplastic polyps. Dysplasia and carcinoma in the surrounding gastric mucosa with concomitant hyperplastic polyps can be seen but carcinoma and dysplasia within the hyperplastic polyp itself are extremely rare. We report on a 70-year-old White woman who presented with melena from what appeared to be hyperplastic polyps on esophagogastroduodenoscopy, but pathology reported frank intramucosal adenocarcinoma.

Current Interventional Management of Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), a common medical emergency, causes significant morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic evaluation and treatment remain the standard care in patients who can be hemodynamically stabilized. However, severe bleeding despite conservative medication treatment or medication combined with endoscopic intervention occurs in 5%-10% of patients, requiring interventional or surgical treatment. Endovascular embolization has emerged as an alternative to emergency operative intervention for high-risk patients with non-variceal UGIB and is now commonly considered the first-line therapy for refractory bleeding after endoscopic treatment. Child-Pugh class C or class B cirrhosis patients who have varicosity or active bleeding detected in endoscopy are at high risks for treatment failure, rebleeding, and death. A preemptive transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt has been shown to reduce treatment failure and mortality significantly. Herein, we reviewed the current role of interventional treatment in the management of massive UGIB on the basis of years of clinical experience of the Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University.

International multicenter study comparing demographics, therapy and outcomes in bleeding from Mallory Weiss tears and peptic ulcers.

Background and study aims Mallory Weiss tears (MWTs) are relatively uncommon causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), and patients are generally considered at low risk of poor outcome, although data are limited. There is uncertainty about use of endoscopic therapy. We aimed to describe and compare an international cohort of patients presenting with UGIB secondary to MWT and peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB). Patients and methods From an international dataset of patients undergoing endoscopy for acute UGIB at seven hospitals, we assessed patients with MWT bleeding, including the endoscopic stigmata and endoscopic therapy applied. We compared baseline parameters, rebleeding rate, and 30-day mortality between patients with MWT and PUB. Results A total of 3648 patients presented with UGIB, 125 of whom (3.4 %) had bleeding from a MWT. Those patients were younger (61 vs 69 years, P < 0.0001) and more likely to be men (66 % vs 53 %, P = 0.006) compared to the patients PUB. The most common endoscopic stigmata seen in MWTs were oozing blood (26 %) or clean base (26 %). Of the patients with MWT, 53 (42 %) received endoscopic therapy. Forty-eight of them (90 %) had epinephrine injections and 25 (48 %) had through-the-scope clips. The rebleeding rate was lower in MWT patients compared with PUB patients (4.9 % vs 12 %, P = 0.016), but mortality was similar (5.7 vs 7.0 %, P = 0.71). Conclusions Although patients presenting with MWT were younger, with a lower rebleeding rate, their mortality was similar to that of patients with PUB. Endoscopic therapy was applied to 42 % MWT patients, with epinephrine injection as the most common modality.

Timing of endoscopy in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding

The optimal timing of endoscopy in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) remains controversial. In this study, we investigated the clinical outcomes of urgent endoscopy in patients with UGIB compared with elective endoscopy. From January 2016 to December 2018, consecutive patients who visited the emergency department and underwent endoscopy for clinical manifestations of acute UGIB, including variceal bleeding, were eligible. Urgent endoscopy (within 6 h) and elective endoscopy (after 6 h) were defined as the time taken to perform endoscopy after presentation to the emergency department. The primary outcome was mortality rate within 30 days. A total of 572 patients were included in the analysis. Urgent endoscopy was performed in 490 patients (85.7%). The 30-day mortality rate did not differ between the urgent and elective endoscopy groups (5.3% and 6.1%, p = 0.791). There was no difference regarding the recurrent bleeding rate, total amount of transfusion, or length of hospital between the groups. In multivariate analysis, age and the amount of transfusion were associated with mortality. Urgent endoscopy was not associated with a lower 30-day mortality rate compared with elective endoscopy in patients with acute UGIB.

Randomized controlled trial of early endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal bleeding in acute coronary syndrome patients

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients are not uncommon, particularly under dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). The efficiency and safety of early endoscopy (EE) for UGIB in these patients needs to be elucidated. This multicenter randomized controlled trial randomized recent ACS patients presenting acute UGIB to non-EE and EE groups. All eligible patients received intravenous proton pump inhibitor therapy. Those in EE group underwent therapeutic endoscopy within 24 h after bleeding. The data regarding efficacy and safety of EE were analyzed. It was early terminated because the UGIB rate was lower than expected and interim analysis was done. In total, 43 patients were randomized to non-EE (21 patients) and EE (22 patients) groups. The failure rate of control hemorrhage (intention-to-treat [ITT] 4.55% vs. 23.81%, p < 0.001; per-protocol [PP] 0% vs. 4.55%, p = 0.058) and 3-day rebleeding rate (ITT 4.55% vs. 28.57%, p = 0.033; PP 0% vs. 21.05%, p = 0.027) were lower in EE than non-EE group. The mortality, minor and major complication rates were not different between two groups. Male patients were at higher risk of minor and major complications after EE with OR (95% CI) of 3.50 (1.15–10.63) and 4.25 (1.43–12.63), respectively. In multivariate analysis, EE was associated with lower needs for blood transfusion (HR 0.13, 95% CI 0.02–0.98). Among patients who discontinued DAPT during acute UGIB, a higher risk (OR 5.25, 95% CI 1.21–22.74) of coronary artery stent re-thrombosis within 6 months was noticed. EE for acute UGIB in recent ACS patients has higher rate of bleeding control, lower 3-day rebleeding rate and lower needs for blood transfusion, but more complications in male patients. Further enrollment is mandatory to avoid bias from small sample size (ClinicalTrial.gov Number NCT02618980, registration date 02/12/2015).

Scoring Systems Used to Predict Mortality in Patients with Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Emergency Room

Scoring Systems Used to Predict Mortality in Patients with Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Emergency Room

Endoscopic Findings in Patients With Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Ogun State, Nigeria.

IntroductionAlthough the global incidence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) appears to have reduced substantially in the past few decades, acute UGIB still carries significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. There are currently no published data on UGIB in Ogun State, Nigeria. This study examined the endoscopic findings in patients with UGIB in Ogun State. MethodologyThe study was a retrospective cross-sectional survey of patients with UGIB who had upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at three endoscopy centers in Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria, from January 2015 to December 2021. Patients’ data, which included age, gender, and endoscopic findings, were extracted from the endoscopy registers into a spreadsheet and analyzed statistically. Summary statistics included means ± standard deviation for continuous variables and frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. Categorical variables were compared for differences by chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test as appropriate. The statistical significance cutoff was p-value <0.05.ResultsA total of 171 had endoscopy for UGIB during the period under review but 168 had complete data. Out of the 168, 113 (67.3%) were males, giving a male-to-female ratio of 2:1. The mean age of the patients was 52.4 ± 18.1 years, with an age range of 7-85 years. The modal age group was ≥60 years (75; 39.9%). The most common endoscopic finding was peptic ulcer disease (77; 45.8%), followed by esophagogastric varices (27; 16.1%), erosive mucosal disease (25; 14.9 %), portal hypertensive gastropathy (15; 8.9%), suspected malignancies (11; 6.6%), hemorrhagic gastritis (7; 4.2%), gastric antral vascular ectasia (2; 1.2%), and Mallory-Weiss tear (1; 0.6%), respectively. Forty-four patients (26.2%) had no lesion that could explain UGIB. ConclusionPeptic ulcer disease was the most common cause of UGIB among our patient population, and the elderly male patients were the most affected.

A Nomogram Model for Predicting Type-2 Myocardial Infarction Induced by Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

To examine the independent risk factors of type-2 myocardial infarction (T2MI) elicited by acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB), and to establish a nomogram model for the prediction of AUGIB-induced T2MI. A nomogram model was established on the basis of a retrospective study that involved 533 patients who suffered from AUGIB in the Department of Critical Care Medicine (CCM) or Emergency Intensive Care Unit (EICU) of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China, from January 2017 to December 2020. The predictive accuracy and discriminative power of the nomogram were initially evaluated by internal validation, which involved drawing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calculating the area under the curve (AUC), plotting the calibration curve derived from 1000 resampled bootstrap data sets, and computing the root mean square error (RMSE). The predictive ability of the nomogram was further validated through the prospective and multicenter study conducted by the investigators, which enrolled 240 AUGIB patients [including 88 cases from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 73 cases from Qilu Hospital of Shandong University (Qingdao), and 79 cases from Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital)], who were admitted to the Department of CCM or EICU, from February 2021 to July 2021. Among the 533 patients in the training cohort, 78 (14.6%) patients were assigned to the T2MI group and 455 (85.4%) patients were assigned to the non-T2MI group. The multivariate analysis revealed that age >65, hemorrhagic shock, cerebral stroke, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, increased blood urea nitrogen, decreased hematocrit, and elevated D-Dimer were independent risk factors for AUGIB-induced T2MI. All these factors were incorporated into the nomogram model. The AUC for the nomogram for predicting T2MI was 0.829 (95% CI, 0.783-0.875) in the internal validation cohort and 0.848 (95% CI, 0.794-0.902) in the external validation cohort. The calibration curve for the risk of T2MI exhibited good consistency between the prediction by the nomogram and the actual clinical observation in both the internal validation (RMSE=0.016) and external validation (RMSE=0.020). The nomogram was proven to be a useful tool for the risk stratification of T2MI in AUGIB patients, and is helpful for the early identification of AUGIB patients who are prone to T2MI for early intervention, especially in emergency departments and intensive care units.

Prediction of in-hospital mortality after acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: cross-validation of several risk scoring systems.

ObjectiveWe aimed to identify the clinical, biochemical, and endoscopic features associated with in-hospital mortality after acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB), focusing on cross-validation of the Glasgow-Blatchford score (GBS), full Rockall score (RS), and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Predictive Index (CSMCPI) scoring systems.MethodsOur prospective cross-sectional study included 156 patients with AUGIB. Several statistical approaches were used to assess the predictive accuracy of the scoring systems.ResultsAll three scoring systems were able to accurately predict in-hospital mortality (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] > 0.9); however, the multiple logistic model separated the presence of hemodynamic instability (state of shock) and the CSMCPI as the only significant predictive risk factors. In compliance with the overall results, the CSMCPI was consistently found to be superior to the other two systems (highest AUC, highest sensitivity and specificity, highest positive and negative predictive values, highest positive likelihood ratio, lowest negative likelihood ratio, and 1-unit increase in CSMCPI associated with 6.3 times higher odds of mortality), outperforming the GBS and full RS.ConclusionsWe suggest consideration of the CSMCPI as a readily available and reliable tool for accurately predicting in-hospital mortality after AUGIB, thus providing an essential backbone in clinical decision-making.

Establishment of a risk prediction model for acute upper gastrointestinal rebleeding in elderly patients

To establish a prediction model of acute upper gastrointestinal rebleeding (AUGIRB) for elderly patients by combining and applying multiple indicators. A retrospective observational study was conducted. The clinical data of 161 elderly patients (age ≥ 65 years old) who suffered from acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) and who were hospitalized in Shanghai General Hospital from July 2018 to December 2020 were recorded. The patients were divided into the rebleeding group (31 cases) and the non-rebleeding group (130 cases) according to whether gastrointestinal rebleeding occurred. Univariate analysis was adopted to screen AUGIRB-related risk factors and Logistic regression analysis was used to screen independent predictors of AUGIRB so that a predictive model was constructed. Based on the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve), the predictive ability of the prediction model for AUGIRB was evaluated, the optimal cut-off value was determined, and the odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were calculated. Bootstrap resampling technology was used to validate the predictive ability of the model. Univariate Logistic analysis showed that oral anticoagulant drugs, oral antiplatelet drugs, albumin (ALB), platelet count (PLT), Glasgow-Blatchford bleeding score (GBS), D-dimer, fibrinogen (FIB), and international normalized ratio (INR) all had a significant effect on the occurrence of AUGIRB among elderly patients. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the oral antiplatelet drugs (OR = 11.150, 95%CI was 1.888-65.852, P < 0.05) and GBS score (OR = 2.503, 95%CI was 1.523-4.114, P < 0.05) were the independent risk factors of AUGIRB among elderly patients, while the ALB (OR = 0.764, 95%CI was 0.626-0.932, P < 0.05) and FIB (OR = 0.065, 95%CI was 0.011-0.370, P < 0.05) were the protective factors of AUGIRB among elderly patients. The AUC of the above four indexes joint prediction model was 0.979. The verification results of the model showed that the consistency index (C-index) of the model was 0.986. The prediction model fitted in this research has a high prediction accuracy and it also has a certain reference value for the judgment of elderly patients who suffer from AUGIRB.

Managing a patient presenting to the emergency department with upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common presentation in emergency departments (EDs). This medical emergency has a mortality rate of up to 14%, particularly in men and older people. The most frequent cause of upper GI bleeding is peptic ulcer disease. Management has not changed significantly in the past 50 years and there is ongoing debate in the literature about the most effective treatment protocols. This article uses a case study of a patient who presented to an ED with upper GI bleeding caused by peptic ulcer disease to examine the evidence on treatment and management. The article also discusses a care bundle that has been developed for rapid assessment and management of patients with acute upper GI bleeding.

Risk Stratification in Cancer Patients with Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Comparison of Glasgow-Blatchford, Rockall and AIMS65, and Development of a New Scoring System.

Background/AimsFew studies have measured the accuracy of prognostic scores for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) among cancer patients. Thereby, we compared the prognostic scores for predicting major outcomes in cancer patients with UGIB. Secondarily, we developed a new model to detect patients who might require hemostatic care. MethodsA prospective research was performed in a tertiary hospital by enrolling cancer patients admitted with UGIB. Clinical and endoscopic findings were obtained through a prospective database. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to gauge the power of each score. ResultsFrom April 2015 to May 2016, 243 patients met the inclusion criteria. The AIMS65 (area under the curve [AUC] 0.85) best predicted intensive care unit admission, while the Glasgow-Blatchford score best predicted blood transfusion (AUC 0.82) and the low-risk group (AUC 0.92). All scores failed to predict hemostatic therapy and rebleeding. The new score was superior (AUC 0.74) in predicting hemostatic therapy. The AIMS65 (AUC 0.84) best predicted in-hospital mortality. ConclusionsThe scoring systems for prognostication were validated in the group of cancer patients with UGIB. A new score was developed to predict hemostatic therapy. Following this result, future prospective research should be performed to validate the new score.

Comparison of Risk Scores for Predicting In-hospital Mortality among Patients Presenting with Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleed: A Retrospective Study from a Tertiary Care Centre, Chennai, India

Introduction: Acute Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding results in 5% of admissions to an Emergency Department/Room (ER), with mortality rates ranging from 2 to 15%. To predict the outcomes of these patients, multiple scoring systems have been developed. Early detection of individuals at high risk of mortality could allow for more targeted care including specialised care and early therapies, which could improve outcomes. Glasgow Blatchford Score (GBS), Pre-endoscopy and Rockall score, AIMS65 (Albumin, International Normalized Ratio , Altered Mental status, Systolic blood pressure, Age &gt;65 years), and the recently proposed ABC (Age, Blood parameters, Co-morbidities) score are some of the risk scores that have been devised for risk stratification. According to recent studies, the discriminative performance of these current scores for predicting patient mortality is relatively weak. Aim: To compare the risk scores for predicting in-hospital mortality among patients presenting with acute upper gastrointestinal bleed. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients referred to the Emergency Department/ Room of a tertiary care hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, with an acute upper GI bleed (characterised as haematemesis, coffee-colored vomitus, or melena) from July 2018 to June 2020. Data collected from medical records included detailed clinical history, vitals, relevant blood investigations, patient requirement for blood transfusion, endoscopic therapy, surgical procedures, radiological intervention along with mortality. The data was analysed using appropriate biostatistics Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0, paired t-tests were performed to calculate the p-values and a p-value &lt;0.05 was considered significant. Results: The study comprised a total of 112 patients. The study population's median age was 53 years, with a male predominance (83.92%). The presenting complaint was haematemesis in 76.79% of the patients and melena in 23.21%. Ischaemic heart disease (10.71%), cirrhosis (25%), and malignancy (2.68%) were the most common co-morbidities. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade III accounted for 45.3%, ASA grade II for 25.6%, and ASA grade I for 28.6%. Following endoscopy, the source of upper gastrointestinal bleed was noted to be variceal in 39.3% of cases, gastric/duodenal ulcers in 25.9%, erosive changes in 16.1%, and tumour bleed in 2.7% of cases. Endoscopic mode of treatment was performed in 44.6% and 0.9% required surgical intervention. Mortality occurred in 11 patients (9.82%). Based on Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (AUROC), AIMS65 excelled over other scores in predicting mortality {AIIMS-65 (AUROC; 95% CI) 0.908 (0.85 to 0.97); p-value &lt;0.001, GlasgowBlatchford score (GBS) 0.818 (0.71-0.93) p-value &lt;0.001, PreRockall 0.756 (0.63-0.89) p-value &lt;0.001, Rockall 0.894 (0.82- 0.97) p-value &lt;0.001, ABC 0.778 (0.65-0.90) p-value=0.003}. Conclusion: Systolic blood pressure, heart rate, blood urea, International Normalized Ratio (INR), and albumin showed significant association with mortality. Risk scores encompassing albumin have better mortality prediction. AIMS65 outperformed other risk scores in predicting mortality, even outperforming the postendoscopy rockall score. Hence, AIMS65 can be used to stratify patients in the emergency room early to reduce mortality

Clinical significance of bleeding scoring systems

Introduction. Bleeding scoring systems are used for predicting the risk of a specific primary outcome in a specific population.In this article, we present scoring systems frequently used in internist practice. Bleeding scoring systems for acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Are divided into clinical, endoscopic,and combined scoring systems, according to the type of variables included. Besides traditional systems (Rockall, Glasgow-Blatchford), we primarily present clinical scoring systems used for upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Bleeding scoring systems for patients with atrial fibrillation on anticoagulant therapy. We refer to the most significant scoring systems - ATRIA, HAS-BLED, and ORBIT. Since the prognostic performance of the existing scoring systems is less than satisfactory, medical organizations suggest they should be used for recognizing patients who deserve close monitoring during anticoagulant therapy. Bleeding scoring systems for patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. ACUITY-HORIZONS was proven to be superior to other scoring systems in predicting bleeding within 30 days in patients with a myocardial infarction treated with transradial percutaneous coronary intervention. Bleeding scoring systems for bleeding disorders. Scoring systems enable the detection of bleeding disorders before performing laboratory tests. Considering the frequency severity of symptoms, newer systems have been developed for the pediatric population and self-testing by modifying the original scoring system. Conclusion. Although medical organizations encourage the implementation of scoring systems in clinical practice, the development of newer and enhanced existing systems requires a comprehensive approach and critical analysis of the existing systems.

COMPLICATION ASSOCIATED WITH UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL BLEEDING AMONG MEXICAN PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a common complication among cirrhotic patients and holds high mortality and morbidity; the most common cause is variceal hemorrhage. Nonetheless, non-variceal hemorrhage is also frequent; this study aims to determine the prevalence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding complications among Mexican patients with cirrhosis. Retrospective, cross-sectional, an analytic study among patients with cirrhosis of all etiologies admitted to the Gastroenterology department of the Hospital General de Mexico “Dr. Eduardo Liceaga” with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding of both etiologies (variceal and non-variceal hemorrhage) in the period comprised from January 2017 to May 2021. Complications associated with the bleeding events were evaluated. For statistical analysis, quantitative variables were described as mean and standard deviation for qualitative variables in frequencies and percentages. A total of 295 patients were included, 55.3% male, mean age was 54.6 ± 11.8 years, 16.27% patients were staged as Child A, 49.15% Child B y 34.57% Child C, with and an average MELD score of 16. Main cirrhosis etiology was alcohol-related liver disease in 39.7%, viral hepatitis 6.4%, NASH 5.8% and others 3.4%; however, in 44.7% of patients, we were not able to determine the etiology of liver disease. The main cause of gastrointestinal bleeding was variceal hemorrhage in 71.1% and 28.9% non-variceal. The shock was identified in 5.76% (17) of patients, 9 of them required vasopressors, hepatic encephalopathy was present in 42.71% (126), Ascites in 18.64% (55), jaundice in 16.94% (50), acute kidney injury in 31.52% (93), bacterial infections in 24.06% (71), four patients (1.35%) died. Complications related to gastrointestinal bleed according to disease severity are depicted in table 1. Complications associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding among Mexican patients with cirrhosis are frequent. Encephalopathy is the most common (42.71%) followed by acute kidney injury (31.52%) preponderantly of high grade, patients with more advanced disease are more prone to present infections, mainly UTI and ascites. Therefore they must be monitored closely. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Massive Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

This case is targeted to emergency medicine residents of all levels. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common chief complaint encountered in the emergency department, resulting in over 500,000 hospitalizations and 20,000 deaths annually in the United States.1 The diagnosis and management of UGIB in stable patients is typically fairly straightforward. However, there are a number of circumstances where the treatment of UGIB is much more challenging, and emergency medicine (EM) physicians should be familiar with, and have experience managing, these difficult presentations. Massive UGIB can necessitate the need for management of a difficult airway in the setting of airway contamination, as well as placement of a gastroesophageal balloon tamponade device. The appropriate use and indications for performing this high-risk/low-frequency procedure requires dedicated practice. Furthermore, the management of gastrointestinal hemorrhage in a patient with a religious objection to the administration of blood products, including Jehovah's Witnesses, can be especially challenging and requires knowledge of alternative therapies to support blood pressure, oxygen carrying capacity, and decrease coagulopathy.2,3. By the end of this simulation, learners will be able to: 1) manage a hypotensive patient with syncope and hematemesis, 2) pharmacologically manage an acute UGIB addressing the various causes, 3) recognize worsening clinical status and intervene by performing difficult airway management, 4) place a gastroesophageal balloon tamponade device. This simulation was conducted with a high-fidelity mannequin with a separate medium-fidelity intubating mannequin that was modified to allow rapid filling of the oropharynx with simulated blood. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of six EM residents in various levels of training participated in the simulated patient encounter while the rest of the learners watched the simulation and participated in the debrief via video conference. Following the simulation and debrief session, all the residents, including those who participated in-person and via video conference, were sent a survey via surveymonkey.com to assess the educational quality of the simulation. Overall residents expressed positive feedback on the scenario, noting that the case was realistic, appropriately complex, and improved their medical knowledge and procedural skills. This case has a mixture of high-fidelity and medium-fidelity components which can be easily reproduced. The case was extremely useful in teaching EM residents of all levels not only how to manage large volume UGIB in a patient who is also a Jehovah's Witness, but also how to manage the airway and place a gastroesophageal balloon tamponade device. The case starts with a patient presenting with syncope and as the case unfolds, the patient's clinical status deteriorates, requiring learners to resuscitate, intubate, and obtain a gastroesophageal balloon tamponade.Residents commented that managing this case of an UGIB was extremely challenging because it exposed and filled important gaps in both their knowledge and procedural skills. Residents struggled most with identifying alternative therapies to blood products in patients with religious objections, and the step-by-step process of placing a Blakemore tube. Upper gastrointestinal bleed, hemorrhagic shock, Jehovah's Witness, difficult airway.

Adhesive Hemostatic Hydrogel with Ultrafast Gelation Arrests Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage in Pigs

AbstractUpper gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage is a common clinical emergency worldwide. Endoscopic hemostasis is the current first line treatment. Nevertheless, for patients with severe active bleeding and challenging anatomy, endoscopic management can be still difficult and usually requires a higher level of surgical expertise. A simple and effective method of endoscopic hemostasis is therefore in acute clinical demand. Herein a hemostatic hybrid hydrogel comprised of hyaluronic acid and polyethylene glycol stabilized by thiourea–catechol coupling and disulfide bonds is reported. The hybrid hydrogels exhibit enhanced mechanical properties, short gelation time, and good blood clotting ability compared with fibrin gels. The in vivo hemostatic efficacy is confirmed in a rat model of arterial bleeding, in which the rapid gelation of hybrid hydrogels after topical application effectively arrests blood loss with no rebleeding occurring during resuscitation when blood pressure approximately recovers to normal. A large animal study further demonstrates the efficacy of hybrid hydrogels to achieve endoscopic hemostasis against upper GI hemorrhage in pigs. Follow‐up observations show that the hybrid hydrogels can remain adherent at the bleeding wound for 48 h, indicating the sustained hemostatic function in vivo. Collectively, this work demonstrates a promising hemostatic hydrogel for endoscopic hemostasis in upper GI hemorrhage.

Urgent Endoscopy Improves Hemostasis in Patients With Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Following Biliary-pancreatic Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a lethal complication of biliary-pancreatic surgery (BPS). The role of endoscopic intervention has not been fully defined in such a critical condition. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of endoscopic hemostasis in a retrospective cohort. Consecutive patients with acute UGIB after BPS who received interventional endoscopy between January 2007 and August 2020 were included in this study. The clinical characteristics were collected and analyzed to screen for predictive factors significantly associated with successful hemostasis. Among 37,772 patients who underwent BPS, 26 patients (0.069%) developed acute UGIB. The sites and causes of hemorrhage were as follows: gastroenteric anastomoe (n=17), gastric stump (n=2), jejunal anastomose (n=1), duodenal bulb ulcer (n=2), pancreatojejunal anastomosis hemorrhage (n=1), cholangiojejunal anastomose (n=1), gastroenteric anastomose and gastric stump hemorrhage (n=1), and Dieulafoy lesion (n=1). Successful endoscopic hemostasis was achieved in 19 (73.1%) of the 26 UGIB patients. In the 7 patients who failed endotherapy, 1 patient received a successful radiologic intervention, 6 patients underwent reoperation and achieved hemostasis in 4, and the other 2 patients died after reoperation. Logistic regression analysis showed that presentation-to-endoscopy time (≤12 h) was the only independent predictive factor associated with successful endoscopic hemostasis. Endoscopic hemostasis is relatively safe and effective in controlling UIGB after BPS. Prompt intervention (≤12 h) could improve the success rate of endoscopic hemostasis.

Hematemesis in Infants: The First Evidence-Based Score to Predict the Need for Timely Endoscopy.

Infantile acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding involves a decision for therapeutic intervention that most pediatricians first coming into contact with the patient are, not unreasonably, unable to objectively provide. Therefore, some objective tools of individual risk assessment would seem to be crucial. The principal aim of the present study was to investigate the anamnestic and clinical parameters of infants with hematemesis, together with laboratory and instrumental findings, to create a scoring system that may help identify those infants requiring an appropriate and timely application of upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. Clinical data of infants admitted for hematemesis to the participating centers over the study period were systematically collected. According to the outcome dealing with rebleeding, need for blood transfusion, mortality, finding of GI bleeding lesions, or need for surgical intervention, patients were blindly divided into a group with major clinical severity and a group with minor clinical severity. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to investigate significant prognostic factors for clinical severity. According to our findings, we drafted a practical diagnostic algorithm and a clinical score able to predict the need for timely upper GI endoscopy (BLOVO infant score). Our clinical scoring system was created by incorporating anamnestic factors, clinical parameters, and laboratory findings that emerged as predictors of a worst outcome. We provided the first objective tool of individual risk assessment for infants with hematemesis, which could be very useful for pediatricians first coming into contact with the patient in the emergency department.

Clinical application of AIMS65 score to predict outcome in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND: Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires rapid assessment in the emergency department. The current available scores are complex and have not been widely used in clinical practice. AIMS65 score is a simple score that can be used to risk stratify patients with AUGIB.&#x0D; METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study done at a single tertiary centre, NAMS, Bir Hospital among the patients presenting with AUGIB from August 2018 to January 2019. AIMS65 scores were calculated in patients presenting with acute UGIB by allotting 1 point each for albumin level &lt; 3g/dl, INR &gt; 1.5, alteration in mental status, systolic blood pressure ≤90 mm Hg, and age ≥65 years. Risk stratification was done during the initial 12 hours of hospital admission.&#x0D; RESULTS: A total of 84 patients consisting of 68 males and 16 females were enrolled in our study, with age ranging from 27 to 80 years. ICU admission, endoscopic therapy and blood transfusion were required in 22,44 and 49 patients respectively. In-patient mortality, the need for blood transfusion, endoscopic therapy or ICU admission were higher in those with AIMS65 score ≥ 2 showing statistically significant positive association (p=0.000).&#x0D; CONCLUSION: AIMS65 score is a simple non-endoscopic risk score that can be applied in patients of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding to risk stratify and to predict in-patient mortality, the need for blood transfusion, endoscopic therapy or ICU admission.