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Objective. After implantation of drug-eluting stents (DES), two or more anti-thrombotic agents are required. The risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in cases of DES implantation is thought to be significant. However, the incidence of UGIB has not yet been investigated in DES-implanted patients. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of UGIB after DES implantation and the awareness among cardiologists about this complication. Material and methods. Subjects were 397 consecutive patients implanted with DES from August 2004 to September 2007 at two institutions. Endoscopic examinations were performed on DES-implanted patients who presented with hematemesis and/or tarry stools. The concomitant use of acid-suppressing agents was left to the cardiologists. In addition, 37 cardiologists were administered a questionnaire regarding UGIB after DES implantation. Results. Low-dose aspirin and ticlopidine were prescribed in all patients. Forty-six patients had a past history of peptic ulcer. Acid-suppressing agents were concomitantly prescribed to 224 patients (56%) including 32 patients (70%) with a past history of peptic ulcer. UGIB due to gastric ulcers developed in 5 cases (1.3%). One case had received a half dose of H2-RA. No bleeding occurred in patients who received proton pump inhibitors (PPI). The incidence of UGIB was 4.0 per 1000 patient-years. The cardiologists who were surveyed recognized the risk of UGIB after DES implantation and the necessity for its prevention. However, they indicated that adequate management for preventing this complication has not been established. Conclusions. This study reassuringly demonstrated a low incidence of UGIB after DES implantation. Further study regarding the prophylaxis for UGIB after DES implantation is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bleeding after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in antithrombotic drug users is still one of the important issues to be solved. We performed scheduled second-look endoscopy (SLE) 5 days after ESD, when the resumption of antithrombotic agents is assumed to have achieved a steady state, rather than on the day after ESD. We investigated bleeding incidence and the status of ulcers.Methods: A total of 299 lesions in 299 patients subjected to ESD for gastric neoplasms were enrolled. A double dose of proton pump inhibitors was administered after ESD. SLE was planned 5 days after ESD. Post-ESD bleeding occurring before SLE was defined as early phase post-ESD bleeding, whereas bleeding after SLE was defined as later phase post-ESD bleeding. Forrest IIa and IIb ulcers are defined as high-risk ulcers requiring prophylactic hemostasis. We investigated risk factors for post-ESD bleeding, particularly focusing on the use of antithrombotic agents and the presence of high-risk ulcers requiring prophylactic hemostasis during SLE.Results: Under a double dose of proton pump inhibitors, early phase post-ESD bleeding occurred in 2.3% of non-users (5/218) and 6.2% of users of antithrombotic agents (5/81). High-risk ulcers were found in 19.0% of the cases during scheduled SLE (55/289). Later phase bleeding occurred in 5.5% of cases [2.8% of non-users (6/213) and 13.2% of users of antithrombotic agents (10/76)]. Cox regression analysis revealed that the risk factor for post-ESD bleeding was antithrombotic treatment (HR: 3.56; 95% CI: 1.63-8.02, p = 0.002) alone. Among patients with high-risk ulcers, a statistically significant increase in bleeding was observed in the later phase in patients under antithrombotic therapy, compared to those not receiving any antithrombotic agents (p = 0.001).Conclusions: Antithrombotic treatment is a risk factor for post-ESD bleeding despite SLE being scheduled 5 days after ESD. Later phase post-ESD bleeding was observed in 13.2% of the patients under antithrombotic treatment even after prophylactic hemostasis for high-risk ulcers.Trial Registration: This study was registered in the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry System ( 000023306 ). Retrospectively registered on 23rd July 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]