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Purpose: Mortality associated with acute Gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage in intensive care units (ICU) has remained high in patients suffering from hemodynamic instability. Prompt recognition and rapid assessment of bleeding severity are crucial to improve survival. Central venous pressure (CVP) monitoring is commonly used for early recognition of intravascular imbalances, but its effectiveness in predicting fluid responsiveness is often questioned. Echocardiography (echo) is a rapid, noninvasive method to repeatedly assess cardiac function and fluid responsiveness. This study investigated the impact of CVP and echo measurements on the outcomes of critically ill patients with GI hemorrhage. Methods: The study was based on the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC- IV) database. Patients were divided into four groups according to the usage of CVP and/or echo. The primary outcomes were 7-day, 14-day, 28-day, and overall mortalities after ICU admission. Cox Proportional-Hazards Models were used to elucidate the relationship between CVP/ Echo monitoring and mortality. The severity of illness of patients were adjusted by qSOFA score, SOFA score and base deficit level at admission. Results: Among 1705 eligible patients, 82 patients had both CVP and echo, 85 had CVP only, and 116 had Echo only. The results of survival analysis indicated that, comparing with those without either CVP or echo, the echo utilization was associated with improved mortalities at all time points during ICU stay for patients with moderate GI hemorrhage, and the combined use of CVP and echo was associated with lower 7-day,14-day and overall mortalities for patients with severe GI hemorrhage. Conclusion: Early usage of CVP and echo monitoring or echo alone are associated with lower mortality in the short and long-term when compared to patients without either measurement. Clinicians should consider goal-directed resuscitation guided by echo with/without CVP in patients with GI hemorrhage early after admission to ICU.

Although the diagnosis of visceral pseudoaneurysm is unusual, it requires emergent attention due to the risk of rupture. We describe a 70-year-old man with a gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm that manifested as recurrent hemorrhage. We highlight the possible etiologies, clinical presentations, diagnostic tools, and treatment options for this condition. In this instance, the patient was successfully treated by selective angioembolization. A visceral pseudoaneurysm should be considered in patients with abdominal pain and GI hemorrhage. At present, angioembolization is a first-line therapy.

Since its market launch in 2007, the endoscopic OTSC clipping system has been the object of intensive clinical research. These data were systematically collected for post-market clinical follow-up (PMCF). The aim of the study was the systematic review of the efficacy and safety of the OTSC System. The PMCF database was systematically searched for clinical data on OTSC therapy of GI hemorrhage (H), acute leaks/perforations (AL) and chronic leaks/fistulae (CL). Major outcomes were successful clip application and durable hemostasis/closure of defects. Comprehensive pooled success proportions were established by meta-analytical methods. Four-hundred-fifty-seven publications were reviewed. Fifty-eight articles comprising 1868 patients fulfilled criteria to be included in the analysis. These consisted of retrospective analyses, prospective observational trials, one randomized-controlled trial (STING) and one quasi-controlled study (FLETRock). The pooled proportion analysis revealed high overall proportions of technical success: H - mean 93.0% [95%CI 90.2-95.4], AL-mean 89.7% [95%CI 85.9-92.9] and CL-mean 83.8% [95%CI 76.9-89.7]. Pooled durable clinical success proportions were: H-mean 87.5% [95%CI 80.5-93.2], AL-mean 81.4% [95%CI 77.0-85.3] and CL-mean 63.0% [95%CI 53.0-72.3]. By pooling all clinical data gained, we conclude that OTSC application in GI hemorrhage and closure of GI lesions is safe and effective in real clinical use.

Aim: Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is the most common reason for admission to the emergency department, and, despite technological advances, mortality is still high. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between endoscopic findings and D-Dimer in patients presenting with suspected upper GI bleeding. Materials and Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional descriptive study included all patients who met the inclusion criteria for patients with GI bleeding who applied to the Department of Emergency Medicine between August 15, 201 6 and February 15, 2017. Demographic characteristics, history, D-dimer and endoscopy were evaluated. Significance was evaluated at p 0.05). No statistical difference was found between D-Dimer mean values and limit values and the stages according to Forrest classification (p>0.05). Discussion: In the study, there was no relationship between the endoscopic findings (Forrest classification stage I, II, III) and the increased D-Dimer levels. WOS:000731629800018

Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is a common cause for presentation to veterinary hospitals in dogs. While BUN/creatinine ratio and video capsule endoscopy (VCE) are used in people to aid in the diagnostic challenge of GIB, the literature on these diagnostics is scarce in veterinary medicine. Consequently, the objectives of this thesis were the following: assess the usefulness of BUN/creatinine ratio to predict occult GIB and to distinguish upper from lower GIB in dogs, and assess diagnostic yield, quality of visualization, and complications of VCE in dogs with overt or suspected occult GIB and to identify possible risk factors associated with incomplete VCE study. In the first study, 89 dogs with GIB and 65 clinically healthy dogs were enrolled retro- and prospectively. Gastrointestinal bleeders were classified depending on the presence of overt (n=65) or occult (n=24) GIB and localization of bleeding lesions (37 upper GI tract, 13 lower GI tract, 8 both). Results identified that BUN/creatinine ratio could not predict occult GIB nor distinguish upper from lower GIB. Dogs with higher hemoglobin and hematocrit had significantly lower odds of having occult GIB than being clinically healthy (P < 0.0001). In the second study, 40 dogs were examined by VCE because of suspected occult (n=27) or overt (n=13) GIB. The capsules were administered orally (n=29) or deployed endoscopically (n=11). In 24 of 39 recordings, bleeding lesion(s) were identified. Quality of visualization was poor to limited in the stomach and colon, and adequate to good in the small intestine. The most common complication was an incomplete study noted in 15/39 studies, particularly when capsules were administered orally (13/28). Risk factors for incomplete studies after oral administration included administration of simethicone or opioids, chronic enteropathy, and capsule gastric transit time > 6 hours. In conclusion, BUN/creatinine ratio was not a useful marker of occult GIB and had poor discriminatory ability to distinguish upper from lower GIB. VCE could be used to diagnose bleeding lesions in the entire GI tract of dogs. Diagnostic yield was decreased by poor visibility of the GI mucosa and incomplete studies. The latter was the most common complication in our study. Ontario Veterinary College Pet Trust 2021-09-01

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have rapidly become the drug class of choice for anticoagulation therapy in secondary care. It is known that gastrointestinal hemorrhage are potential side effects of the DOAC drug class. In this study we have investigated the relevance of molecular structure and on/off‐target pharmacology as a predictor of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) for the DOAC drug class. Use of the Reaxys MedChem module allowed for data mining of all possible reported off‐target effects of the DOAC class members. For the first time, the MHRA Yellow card database in combination with prescribing rates in the United Kingdom (data for n = 30 566 936 DOAC Rx (up to 2017) and ADR data n = 22 275 (up to 2018)) were used for our data comparison of DOACs. From the underlying reported data, we were able to rank the DOACs in terms of the likely adverse events we would expect to observe. We identified potential risks of ADRs based on the DOACs pharmacology including the expected GI hemorrhage, but also the unexpected risk of stroke, pulmonary embolism and kidney injury. Statistically significant (P

Secondary aortoduodenal fistula (AEF), although less rare than its primary form, is an uncommon and frequently lethal cause of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. We report a case of fatal GI hemorrhage in a woman with a remote history of endovascular graft repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Postmortem examination included computed tomography (PMCT) and CT angiography (PMCTA), which revealed air in the aorta, loss of the fat plane between the aorta and duodenum, and direct extravasation of contrast from the aorta into the duodenum. To our knowledge, this is the first published report of secondary AEF diagnosed by PMCT and confirmed with PMCTA. We propose a set of imaging criteria by which PMCTA can be used to supplant traditional anatomical dissection in the medicolegal investigation of deaths due to AEF.

Background. Our aim was to assess the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage associated with diabetes among patients taking low-dose aspirin (≤325 mg/day). Methods. A systematic search was conducted for publication in English and Chinese using term equivalents for “GI hemorrhage”, “aspirin”, and “diabetes mellitus” up till April 2020. Electronic databases include PUBMED, EMBASE, Cochrane Library databases, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, and VIP Database. Two independent authors searched databases and reviewed abstracts for comprehensive studies keeping adequate study quality. Data of weighted odds ratios were statistically evaluated and potential bias was checked. Results. Among 446 publications, eight case-control researches, including 1601 patients, were deemed for this meta-analysis. Patients with diabetes were associated with a higher risk of GI hemorrhage than patients without diabetes: the summary ORs were 3.10 (95% CI, 2.35–4.09). The heterogeneity of the reports was not significant (Chi2=3.39, P=0.85; I2=0%). Conclusion. The meta-analysis showed that aspirin users with diabetes were more likely to have GI hemorrhage. Hence, when treating diabetics with aspirin, the increased risk of GI bleeding should be taken in consideration.

Background/Aims: Recent trends in complications following inpatient therapeutic Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) remain poorly defined. We studied trends of gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage, perforation, and mortality following inpatient therapeutic ERCPs from 2000 to 2012 with the hypothesis that ERCPs would have down trending complication rates. Methods: First, we isolated therapeutic ERCPs in patients 18 years or older using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition in the 2000 to 2012 National Inpatient Sample databases. Procedures complicated by hemorrhage, perforation, and mortality were identified. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to calculate trends in complication rates and secondary variables, including hospital and patient demographics. Time series regressions were then built for each complication to assess for trends from 2000 to 2012. Results: The mortality rate decreased from 1.77 to 1.24%, a trend that was confirmed by time series regression. Perforation rates increased from 0.07 to 0.10% for therapeutic ERCPs. However, time series regression did not show a significant trend. GI hemorrhage rates increased from 1.36 to 1.57% and this uptrend was confirmed by our time series regression. Conclusion: Therapeutic ERCPs have become safer, as demonstrated by a down trending mortality rate. Over the same time, GI hemorrhage rates trended upwards, while no change was noted in perforation rates.

Testicular cancer is the most common malignancy in men aged 20–35 years, usually presenting with painless scrotal swelling. Metastases, should they occur, frequently involve retroperitoneal lymph nodes, which drain the testes. Gastrointestinal (GI) metastases are rare, and metastatic disease may not initially be considered in a young man presenting with GI hemorrhage. This case demonstrates the importance of evaluating for a primary underlying malignancy, especially if other causes of GI hemorrhage have been ruled out. Testicular primary should additionally be considered in men because early intervention may often lead to improved clinical outcomes.

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is designed to control traumatic intra-abdominal or pelvic hemorrhage. There are few case reports of REBOA use in nontraumatic gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage. A 53-year-old man with pancreatic cancer status post Whipple procedure presented with GI hemorrhage from the gastroduodenal artery. Endoscopy and angioembolization were unsuccessful at stopping the hemorrhage. REBOA was used to stabilize the patient until definitive surgical control. REBOA is a potentially lifesaving measure in cases of massive abdominal or pelvic hemorrhage. REBOA can be used as an adjunct in unstable patients with GI bleeding until definitive GI, interventional radiology, or surgical control.

We present a case of acute lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in the emergency department, in which specialists were not emergently available to render their support. A quick intervention using balloon tamponade technique with a Minnesota tube helped stabilize the patient until intensive care, gastroenterology, and surgical specialists could intervene. We also review previous cases from the literature in which a balloon tamponade method was used to control GI hemorrhage. Our novel application of the Minnesota tube is important for emergency physicians to consider for cases of acute lower GI bleeding, particularly in emergent presentations when specialists are not readily available in-hospital.

Interventional radiology (IR) can play a key role in the management of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, especially when endoscopy fails or if the patient is a poor surgical candidate. IR can locate as well as treat the bleeding site. In most algorithms, endovascular therapy by IR is used after endoscopy, but it can be considered a first-line intervention when visualization is likely to be poor, as with an unprepped colon with high suspicion of a lower GI bleed, or if the patient is unstable and endoscopic yield is felt to be low, such as in a briskly bleeding patient. In the case of upper GI bleeds, a distinction should be made between variceal and non-variceal bleeding sources as arterial interventions on the former would not be applicable. Proper utilization of IR requires a multidisciplinary approach and good communication among providers such that the bleeding patient gets the most appropriate therapy with the most efficient use of time.

Meckel diverticulum is the most common gastrointestinal (GI) anomaly, occurring in 2% of the population. This condition often presents symptomatically similar to acute appendicitis in children. The most common presentation is GI hemorrhage, followed closely by obstruction due to intussusception. Laparoscopy is the standard in both diagnosing and treating a complicated Meckel diverticulum.

COVID-19 pandemic caused a major crisis, affecting and straining health care systems, including some very advanced ones. The pandemic may have also indirectly affected access to health care for patients with other conditions, not related to COVID-19, even in countries not overwhelmed by an outbreak.We analyzed and compared visits to the emergency room (ER) department during the same calendar period of 2019 and 2020 (from March 1 to March 31 of each year) in our hospital, a medium size, tertiary center, located in the center of Athens, which is not a referral center for COVID-19.Total ER visits were reduced by 42.3% and the number of those requiring hospitalization by 34.8%. This reduction was driven by lower numbers of visits for low risk, non-specific symptoms and causes. However, there was a significant decrease in admissions for cardiovascular symptoms and complications (chest pain of cardiac origin, acute coronary syndromes, and stroke) by 39.7% and for suspected or confirmed GI hemorrhage by 54.7%. Importantly, number of ER visits for infections remained unchanged, as well as the number of patients that required hospitalization for infection management; only few patients were diagnosed with COVID-19.During the initial period of the pandemic and lock-down in Greece, there was a major decrease in the patients visiting ER department, including decrease in the numbers of admissions for cardiovascular symptoms and complications. These observations may have implications for the management of non-COVID-19 diseases during the pandemic.

Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is safe and effective for the prevention and treatment of dehydration in children. It has been commercially available as a small packaging unit that needs to be taken with a specified amount of water. Intake of incorrectly formulated ORS results in side effects, such as electrolyte imbalance and upper gastrointestinal (GI) disturbance. We experienced a case of severe GI hemorrhage from gastric and duodenal ulcers in a previously healthy child following intake of incorrectly formulated ORS. GI hemorrhage in children is often life threatening and reaching a diagnosis may be challenging. Commercially manufactured packets of powdered oral rehydration salts have been widely used and GI hemorrhage associated with an improperly diluted ORS has been rarely reported. Caution and education for proper preparation of ORS are imperative.

Iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are important signs of gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage. Therefore, the evaluation of the GI tract should be a part of the diagnostic protocol in patients with IDA. GI hemorrhage is not a disease but a symptom, which might have different underlying causes. ID and IDA have significant negative impacts on the life quality and work ability, and they may lead to frequent hospitalization, delay of discharge, and increased healthcare costs. Therefore, an optimal management of the disease causing GI hemorrhage should include iron replacement therapy, along with the treatment of the underlying condition. IDA in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has received particular attention owing to its high prevalence, probably due to a number of other factors such as chronic hemorrhage, reduced dietary iron intake, and impaired absorption of iron. Historically, in IBD and in patients with GI hemorrhage, the diagnosis and management of IDA have been suboptimal. Options for iron replacement include oral and intravenous (IV) iron supplementation. Oral iron supplementation frequently results in GI side effects, and theoretically, it may exacerbate IBD activity; therefore, IV iron supplementation is usually considered in patients not responding to or not complying with oral iron supplementation or patients having low hemoglobin concentration and requiring prompt iron repletion. The aim of this report was to review the diagnostic and therapeutic considerations of IDA in IBD and GI hemorrhage with a multidisciplinary group of experts and to formulate necessary practical recommendations., NA

The benefits of using anticoagulants for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation patients with prior GI bleed can outweigh the risks. Selecting warfarin or a direct oral anticoagulant with a similar incidence of GI bleeding compared to warfarin should be considered to minimize the risk for bleeding.

This section provides a comprehensive procedural report for embolization for management of acute non-variceal gastrointestinal hemorrhage procedure with up-to-date explanatory notes, synopsis of the indications and contraindications, and potential complications in an organized and practical format.

During the transitioning through puberty, adolescents present with varied gynaecological issues, among which puberty menorrhagia is a significant complaint. The most common underlying cause of puberty menorrhagia is anovulation, other causes being endocrine dysfunction, PCOS and bleeding disorders. Congenital prothrombin deficiency is an extremely rare inherited coagulopathy, affecting one in two million of general population. Depending on the severity of deficiency they present with myriad bleeding tendencies, including epstaxis, soft tissue bleeds, GI hemorrhage, intracranial hemorrhage, menorrhagia, excessive post traumatic and post-surgical bleeding. Here, we present a very rare case of congenital prothrombin deficiency presenting primarily with puberty menorrhagia.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is considered a benign disease of children. We report a severe case of HSP in an adult causing renal failure and gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage. Despite aggressive treatment with corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide, and plasmapheresis, the patient developed massive GI bleeding from 2 Dieulafoy lesions and died weeks after bowel resection. Although uncommon, when massive GI hemorrhage occurs, actively bleeding Dieulafoy lesions, although uncommon, should be suspected and evaluated early.

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common clinical condition that is increasingly seen in an aging population and frequently requires hospitalization and intervention, with significant morbidity and mortality. Obscure GI bleeding (OGIB) is defined as loss of blood with no source identified after upper endoscopy and colonoscopy. Whether an obscure site of bleeding is clinically evident or silent, it constitutes a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the clinician. Gastroenterology and radiology provide the essential diagnostic tools used to evaluate suspected OGIB, each with its strengths and weaknesses. Small bowel series and conventional enteroclysis have a limited role in OGIB. Computed tomographic (CT) enterography and CT enteroclysis are noninvasive techniques with promising results in evaluation of small bowel disease and silent OGIB. CT angiography is a useful triaging tool for diagnosing or excluding active GI hemorrhage, localizing the site of bleeding, and guiding subsequent treatment. Tagged red blood cell scanning is the most sensitive technique for detection of active GI bleeding and allows imaging over a prolonged period, making it useful for detecting intermittent bleeding. Capsule endoscopy has emerged as an important tool for investigating OGIB, but it may soon have competition from double-balloon enteroscopy, a diagnostic technique that can also facilitate therapy.

The physician is central to deciding whether a patient requires acute inpatient hospital treatment and is also responsible for appropriately documenting the record which permits accurate diagnostic-related grouping (DRG) coding. An area of particular concern both nationally and in New York State has been patients admitted with gastrointestinal (GI) disorders; specifically, DRGs 174 (GI hemorrhage with complication) and 182 (esophagitis, gastroenteritis, and miscellaneous digestive disorders age > 17 with complication comorbidity). A baseline sample of 600 cases from fiscal year (FY) 2006 was selected from 20 hospitals and underwent review for both admission necessity and DRG assignment. The results were disseminated to the hospitals. In addition, hospitals with a >10% error rate were required to implement an improvement plan. A re-measurement sample of 300 cases was taken from FY 2007 for review. The aggregate error rate was 13.3% at baseline and decreased to 8.0% on re-measurement (P

We present the case of a 67-year-old female with melena and hypotension who was found to have a bleeding splenic artery pseudoaneurysm subjacent to a large gastric ulcer on computed tomographic angiography. The lesion was angiographically occult on standard anteroposterior and oblique projections. The offending vessel was identified on intraprocedure cone-beam computed tomography (CT). This case illustrates the value of intraprocedure cone-beam CT as a problem-solving tool for the interventional radiologist.

PURPOSE There is no gold-standard regarding the diagnostic work-up and therapy of an acute gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage. In most cases endoscopy provides the diagnosis but in a low percentage this modality is not feasible or negative. Purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of multi-phase Multi-Slice-Computertomography (MSCT) as a modality to diagnose and locate the site of acute GI hemorrhage in case of unfeasible or technically difficult endoscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS 58 patients, presenting with clinical signs of lower GI hemorrhage, were examined through a 24-month period. Preliminary endoscopy was either negative or unfeasible. Images were obtained with a four-detector row CT with an arterial (4 x 1 mm collimation, 0.8 mm increment, 1.25 mm slice width, 120 kV, 165 mAs) and portal venous series (4 x 2,5 mm collimation, 2 mm increment, 3 mm slice width, 120 kV, 165 mAs). Time interval between endoscopy and CT varied between 30 minutes and 3 hours. The results of the MSCT were correlated with clinical course and surgical or endoscopical treatment. RESULTS 20 of the 58 patients (34 %) undergoing MSCT had a bleeding site identified, thus providing decisive information for the following intervention. In case of a following therapeutic intervention there was 100 % correlation regarding the bleeding site. In 38 of the 58 patients (66 %), a bleeding site was not identified by MSCT. Twenty of these 38 patients (53 %) were stable and required no further treatment. In 18 of these 38 patients further interventional therapy was required due to continuing hemorrhage and in all of those patients the bleeding site was detected by intervention. CONCLUSION Compared to other diagnostic methods MSCT is a fast, widely-available and low-risk technique for the localization of active GI hemorrhage. The clinical use seems to be justified since in more than one third of the patients, MSCT demonstrates the site of bleeding and provides decisive information for further interventional therapy. Concerning those patients, in whom MSCT is negative (38 out of 58 patients), only every second patient requires any additional diagnostic work-up.

Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases are often encountered in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting, either as the major cause that prompted admission to the ICU or as a comorbid complication of another primary disease process. The most common digestive disease that is seen in the ICU is acute GI bleeding; upper GI bleeding occurring five times more commonly than lower GI bleeding. This article discusses acute nonvariceal and variceal upper GI bleeding and lower GI bleeding. Prophylaxis against GI hemorrhage in the ICU setting is also discussed. Acute pancreatitis is another common cause that mandates ICU admission and is reviewed in this article. Lastly, acalculous cholecystitis is an example of a disease that is usually a comorbid complication in critically ill patients and is often a difficult diagnosis to make. Diagnosis and treatment of acalculous cholecystitis is discussed.