UPPER GASTRO-INTESTINAL BLEEDING IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTER IN NORTH-EAST INDIA: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

CAUSES OF UPPER GASTRO-INTESTINAL BLEEDING IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTER IN NORTH-EAST INDIA: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Upper Gastro-intestinal bleeding is a very common life threatening condition. At least 5% of all the admission from Emergency Department in India is due to this serious condition. The incidence of upper GI bleed ranges from 50 to 150/100,000 population annually and time trend analyses suggest that aged people constitute an increasing proportion of those presenting with acute upper GI bleed.1 AIM: To assess the aetiology, clinical characteristics, diagnostic efficiency of endoscopy and clinical outcome of the patients admitted due to Upper Gastrointestinal Bleed (UGIB). METHOD: A retrospective study of a duration of 1 (one) year was done on the patients who were admitted due to UGIB and underwent Upper Gastro-intestinal Endoscopy (UGI endo) in the same period. RESULT: A total of 120 patients were included in the study out of which 101 were males (84%). The mean age of the patients were 46.92 years. The youngest was 13 years and oldest was 80 years. In 3 patients (2.5%) no lesion could be found. Results were more conclusive and with better outcome if the UGI endoscopy was done within 24 hours of active bleeding. The most common cause of UGIB was peptic ulcer disease (54.16%) followed by gastroesophageal varices rupture (24.16%), erosive mucosal disease (14.17%), neoplastic lesion (3.33%), Malory Weiss tear (1.67%) and normal endoscopy report was found in (2.5%). 24.16% gastro-oesophageal varices rapture signified underlying chronic liver disease. Out of the 29 patients of gastroesophageal varices rupture mortality was 17.24%(5 patients). CONCLUSION: Diagnostic accuracy was directly related to the time interval between the bleeding episode and endoscopy. In patients having Peptic ulcer disease stressful and unhealthy lifestyle was the most common factor. In the group presenting with varices rapture evidence of Chronic Liver Disease was found in most patients and alcohol consumption was a common factor. Keywords : Gastro–intestinal bleed, upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy, peptic ulcer disease, gastro-esophageal varices.