%0 Journal Article
%T Endoscopic findings in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding clinically classified into three risk groups prior to endoscopy
%A Leonardo Tammaro
%A Maria Carla Di Paolo
%A Angelo Zullo
%A Cesare Hassan
%A Sergio Morini
%A Sebastiano Caliendo
%A Lorella Pallotta
%J World Journal of Gastroenterology
%D 2008
%I Baishideng Publishing Group Co. Limited
%X AIM: To investigate in a prospective study whether a simplified clinical score prior to endoscopy in upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) patients was able to predict endoscopic findings at urgent endoscopy.METHODS: All consecutive UGIB patients referred to a single endoscopic center during a 16 mo period were enrolled. Before endoscopy patients were stratified according to a simple clinical score (T-score), including T1 (high-risk), T2 (intermediate-risk) and T3 (low-risk). Endoscopy was performed in all cases within 2 h, and high-risk stigmata were considered for further analysis.RESULTS: Out of the 436 patients included into the study, 126 (29%) resulted to be T1, 135 (31%) T2, and 175 (40%) T3. Overall, stigmata of recent haemorrhage (SRH) were detected in 118 cases (27%). SRH occurred more frequently in T1 patients than in T2/T3 cases (85% vs 3.2%; ¦Ö2 = 304.5309, P < 0.001). Older age (t = 3.311; P < 0.01) and presence of comorbidities (¦Ö2 = 14.7458; P < 0.01) were more frequently detected in T1 than in T2/T3 patients.CONCLUSION: Our simplified clinical score appeared to be associated with the detection of endoscopic findings which may deserve urgent endoscopy. A further, randomised study is needed to assess its accuracy in safely scheduling endoscopy in UGIB patients.
%K Upper gastrointestinal bleeding
%K Urgent endoscopy
%K Timing score
%K Endoscopic treatment
%K Oesophageal varices
%K Peptic ulcer
%U http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v14/i32/5046.htm