Utilizing Endoscopy for the Diagnosis of Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Background Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a medical emergency requiring immediate diagnosis. While endoscopy is a commonly employed procedure in the evaluation of UGIB, its timing, outcomes, and the range of identified causes vary widely across different medical settings and regions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to use endoscopy to investigate the cause of UGIB. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Gastroenterology, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, over a period of one year, from July 1st, 2021 to June 28th, 2022. The study enrolled all patients who were 18 years of age or older and exhibited symptoms of UGIB, including hematemesis and/or melena, within 48 hours of onset. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy procedure was conducted in order to identify the underlying cause of UGIB and to apply appropriate therapeutic interventions. In patients where the endoscopic examination revealed bleeding ulcers, a specimen for biopsy was excised to test for Helicobacter pylori. Similarly, in cases where a malignancy was suspected during the endoscopy, a biopsy was performed for confirmatory diagnosis. A pre-designed proforma was utilized to collect data including the demographic variables such as age, gender, ethnicity, family history; clinical variables such as clinical presentation, comorbidities, medical history, medication use, vital signs, biochemical evaluation, and imaging results; endoscopic findings such as endoscopic location and severity of bleeding, endoscopic diagnosis, and the use of endoscopic interventions. Information relevant to the treatment and outcomes was also observed. Under outcomes, the rates of re-bleeding, need for repeat endoscopy, length of hospital stay, and mortality were recorded. Results The study reports that the mean age of the participants was 54.72 years with a standard deviation of 12.5 years. The mean hemoglobin level at the presentation was 7.98 ± 2.88 mg/dl. Out of the 309 patients, 215 (69.58%) were male, 202 (65.37%) presented with hematemesis, 97 (31.39%) presented with melena, and 10 patients had a mixed presentation. A total of 154 (49.84%) patients had portal hypertension. Out of these, 128 (83.12%) had esophageal varices and 21 (13.64%) had gastric varices. Five patients suffered from portal hypertensive gastropathy. In 114 (36.89%) patients, the cause of bleeding was ulcerative disease and out of these, duodenal ulcers were found in 49 (42.98%) while gastric ulcers were found in 22 (19.30%) patients. In total malignant lesions were detected in 20 (6.47%) cases. Conclusion The research indicates that hematemesis was the predominant initial symptom observed in individuals experiencing UGIB. The predominant etiology of the hemorrhage was identified as esophageal and gastric varices through endoscopic assessment. The study highlights the importance of early endoscopic evaluation in patients with UGIB as it can help identify the cause and guide appropriate management. This emphasizes the need for healthcare providers to be vigilant in identifying and managing patients with UGIB promptly to improve outcomes. Further research is needed to explore effective strategies for early detection and management of UGIB.