Significance of emergency endoscopy in severe upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage

312 of a total of 543 emergency endoscopies were carried out in patients with severe haemorrhage of the upper gastrointestinal tract. This was defined as a haemorrhage of such severity that at least 2 of the following 3 criteria were present: a shock index greater than 1, an erythrocyte count of less than 3 million/mm3, and a transfusion requirement of three or more 500 ml bags of blood. The source of the bleeding was exactly located in 247 endoscopies, and accurate diagnoses were established in 94.4% of the cases examined. The most frequent source of bleeding was oesophageal varices, followed by duodenal ulcers. In 20.2% of these cases, further sources of potential haemorrhage were found in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Endoscopic diagnosis resulted in immediate, specific therapy in 286 cases. Treatment was given within the first 24 hours in every case. 24.7% of our patients had to undergo laparotomy immediately after endoscopy. 30.4% were given H2 receptor inhibitors, and 35.6% underwent endoscopic haemostasis. The mortality rate in these patients was 29.5%. These results indicate that emergency endoscopy is an important aid to decision-making in cases of severe haemorrhage of the upper gastrointestinal tract.     

Increased prevalence of migraine in patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia referred for open-access upper gastrointestinal endoscopy

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: The association between gastrointestinal symptoms and headache is frequently unrecognized. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of migraine in dyspeptic outpatients referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients aged 18 - 55 years undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for dyspeptic symptoms in three endoscopic units were recruited consecutively. All of the patients were given a validated questionnaire on headache symptoms in order to determine the prevalence of migraine. Patients were divided into four groups (ulcer-like dyspepsia, reflux-like dyspepsia, dysmotility-like dyspepsia, only nausea and/or vomiting). Age-matched blood donors were given the same questionnaires and served as controls. RESULTS: A total of 378 patients (mean age 40 +/- 11, 52 % men) and 310 controls (mean age 39 +/- 11, 56 % men) were enrolled. No differences were observed between the two groups in the prevalence of migraine (15 % vs. 11 %; P = 0.12). A higher prevalence of migraine was found among women in both groups (P < 0.006). In patients with reflux-like and ulcer-like dyspepsia, the prevalence of migraine did not differ from that in the control individuals (8 % and 7 %, respectively), whereas a higher prevalence of migraine was noted in patients with dysmotility-like dyspepsia (23 %; P < 0.02 vs. controls, those with ulcer-like dyspepsia and those with reflux-like dyspepsia) and in patients with nausea and/or vomiting alone (53 %; P < 0.002 vs. all other groups). The multivariate analysis confirmed that the symptom pattern and sex were the only variables independently associated with migraine. CONCLUSIONS: A diagnosis of migraine should be considered in young patients referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy due to nausea and/or vomiting or for dysmotility-like dyspepsia.     

Characterization of gastrointestinal bleeding in severely ill hospitalized patients

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the source of bleeding and the prognosis in critically ill patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage that developed while in the hospital. SETTING: Intensive care units of a large academic tertiary-care center. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SUBJECTS: Patients undergoing endoscopy in intensive care units for gastrointestinal bleeding that developed while in the hospital. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Medical records were available for 142 patients. Of these, 66 met the criteria for in-hospital bleeding. Peptic ulcer disease, present in 56% of patients, was the most common bleeding source identified. Of patients with peptic ulcer disease, nine of 37 (24%) had stigmata of recent hemorrhage. Ten patients (15%) received endoscopic hemostasis interventions (eight receiving therapy for bleeding ulcers, two receiving therapy for esophageal varices). The in-hospital mortality rate was 42%. The cause of death was sepsis and/or multiple system organ failure in 21 patients (75%); the gastrointestinal bleeding may have contributed to the onset of sepsis in one of these patients. No patients died directly of gastrointestinal bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Critically ill patients who bleed while in the hospital have similar sources of bleeding and rates of endoscopically directed therapy as patients admitted to hospital with bleeding. The mortality rate is very high in patients with bleeding that develops in the hospital, and this is usually a result of systemic disease. These data may help clinicians and patients to estimate the potential benefit of urgent endoscopy in critically ill patients.     

Overlooked lesions at emergency endoscopy for acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Excessive blood covering the examination field is a frequent cause of diagnostic failure in emergency endoscopy for acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The implications and outcome in these patients have not been well described. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The records for 1459 consecutive patients who presented at our medical center with acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding during a 15-month period were reviewed. All of the patients underwent emergency endoscopy within 24 h of initial presentation. Patients in whom an identifiable bleeding source was not found in spite of an overtly bloody lumen were designated as having a failure of diagnosis, and these cases were analyzed further. RESULTS: Diagnosis failed in 25 patients (1.7 %), 16 of whom underwent repeat endoscopy or surgical intervention. Bleeding vessels were identified in 13 of these patients. Gastric and duodenal ulcers were the most commonly overlooked lesions, with locations in the cardia (n = 3), fundus (n = 2), posterior wall of the antrum (n = 1), duodenal bulb (n = 3), second part of the duodenum (n = 2), and in the stoma of a Billroth II gastrectomy (n = 2). The rates for endoscopic complications, recurrent bleeding, surgery, and mortality were significantly higher in the group with diagnostic failure than in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding in whom diagnosis did not fail (8 % vs. 0.4 %; 20 % vs. 3.1 %; 16 % vs. 2.9 %; and 20 % vs. 3.6 %, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding, diagnostic failure is associated with higher morbidity and mortality. The data from this study emphasize the importance of good preparation before the procedure and adequate removal of blood during emergency endoscopy procedures.     

A new and effective technique of Yag laser photocoagulation for severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding

A new technique of treating acute severe upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage was evaluated. The technique consisted of epinephrine injections in the bleeding lesion combined with YAG laser radiation in short pulses, applied until the bleeding vessel was completely closed. This new treatment modality was tried in 54 consecutive patients with severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding from a spurting artery, or an ulcer with a non-bleeding visible vessel in the floor of the ulcer crater at endoscopy. Permanent haemostasis was achieved in 87% of the 54 patients. Emergency surgery was needed in 13%. The mortality rate was only 10%. No complications occurred. It is concluded that this new technique of treating severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding from a spurting artery, or an ulcer with a visible vessel results in a significant improvement of the success rate (permanent haemostasis) and a marked reduction in the mortality rate.     

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in octogenarians.

A retrospective study of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (GIE) in 217 octogenarians performed over a two-year period in a district general hospital was carried out. It showed that upper GIE in octogenarians is a safe and easy as in other age groups, and provides more useful information. Patients were referred mainly by the geriatricians for elective endoscopy, reflecting the growing recognition of the value of elective upper GIE in the very elderly. The incidence of peptic ulcer disease as a cause of upper GI bleeding was much less than previously reported. Thirty-nine patients with upper GI haemorrhage had an endoscopy within 24 hours. We believe that this helps to identify patients with a high risk of mortality and those who might benefit from early surgery. Eighty per cent of the patients had one or more associated diseases, but there were no complications from endoscopy. We would like to emphasise that there is no contraindication for upper GIE in very elderly patients.     

Endoscopic diagnosis,emergency therapy and outcome in 397 patients with acute gastrointestinal haemorrhage -a prospective study

Summary

The mortality of acute gastrointestinal haemorrhage in the literature varies significantly, depending on the study design and quality of the data. We therefore conducted a prospective study over 2.5 years of 397 patients with suspected acute Gl haemorrhage at the University Hospitals of Erlangen for internal quality control. In 99% of cases diagnostic endoscopy yielded one or more bleeding sources. Forty-six per cent of the patients bled from duodenal or gastric ulcers, 21% from oesophageal or gastric varices and 33% from other sources. Two hundred and twenty-eight of the 397 patients (57%) were initially treated endoscopically, 76 patients (19%) experienced a recurrence of a bleed. Patients older than 60 years of age with a haemoglobin below 8 g/dl had a significantly higher rate of recurrence of a bleed. The rate of complications during the hospital stay was 22% (n = 87), in-hospital mortality 17% (n=68). The rate of recurrence of the bleed (28 vs 20%), of complications (24 vs 18%) and mortality (20 vs 14%) was significantly higher for bleeding varices than for peptic ulcers. Patients with other causes of acute Gl-haemorrhage had a recurrence of the bleed in 13%, complications in 26% and a mortality of 19%. Bleeding varices as well as bleeding peptic ulcers and other causes of acute Gl haemorrhage still have a high mortality and require intensive medical surveillance besides diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy.     

Delayed endoscopy is associated with increased mortality in upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage

Objectives

To determine the association between delayed (>24?h) endoscopy and hospital mortality in patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (UGIH).

Acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage in patients aged 80 years or more

We report a series of 103 admissions of patients aged 80 years or more with acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage to one hospital over a four-year period. A cause was eventually found during 81.5 per cent of admissions and of these, 57 per cent had bled from chronic peptic ulcers. After 64 per cent of admissions, the patient received a blood transfusion and in 25 per cent, the blood transfusion exceeded 5 units. Nine patients had surgery for peptic ulcer during admission but no operations were performed in patients with other causes of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Patients with peptic ulcer, when compared to patients with other causes for haemorrhage, were more likely to have symptoms of upper gastrointestinal disease before presentation. They were also more likely to continue to bleed, to bleed again, to require surgery, and to die as a consequence of haemorrhage. Eighteen admissions (17.5 per cent) ended with death but in only 11 (10.5 per cent) did the patient die directly because of haemorrhage. Nine of these bled from a peptic ulcer, one from oesophageal varices and one from an unknown cause. Patients who died from haemorrhage, when compared to all others, were more likely to have bled from a peptic ulcer and to have significant co-existing disease, to have ingested non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs or aspirin before admission, to have raised blood urea level and low systolic blood pressure at admission and to have required blood transfusion of more than 5 units. Our study has shown that upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage secondary to peptic ulceration is a serious and often fatal condition in the elderly. Identification and effective monitoring of those at particular risk of death may be essential if mortality is to be reduced.     

Causes and clinical outcome of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: a prospective analysis of 1534 cases

Despite considerable improvement in the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to patients with acute upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, several studies suggest there has been no overall change in mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate prospectively the effect of early emergency diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy and medico-surgical collaboration in the clinical outcome of 1534 patients with acute upper GI bleeding treated in our hospital over the past five years. Emergency endoscopy and injection haemostasis were performed within 24 hours of admission, or immediately after resuscitation, in patients with massive bleeding; patients were then treated with close co-operation between surgeons and gastroenterologists. We observed an increase in the incidence of peptic ulcer (67%) with a simultaneous decrease in the incidence of gastroduodenitis (13.5%) as a cause of bleeding compared with the previous decade. In peptic ulcer bleeding, emergency surgical haemostasis was required in 92 patients (8.9%), while none of the patients with erosive gastroduodenitis required surgical intervention. Overall mortality was 2.9%, and in peptic ulcer bleeding patients 2.1% with a postsurgical mortality of 8.7%. Peptic ulcer remains the main cause of upper GI bleeding. Improved clinical outcome and low mortality can be achieved with early diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy and medico-surgical collaboration.     

Sedation for diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: a survey of the Francophone Pediatric Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Nutrition Group

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: A survey of sedation usage in children undergoing diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was undertaken among the members of the Francophone Pediatric Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Nutrition Group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire regarding the mode of sedation used for noninterventional upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, relative to the patient's age and clinical condition, was sent to all members of the Group. The sample included 51 pediatric endoscopy centers (33 university hospitals, eight general hospitals, and 10 private practices). RESULTS: The response rate was 84 % (43 of 51) overall, and 100 % for university hospitals. Forty percent of the pediatric endoscopy centers routinely offered children and/or parents a choice between general anesthesia and conscious sedation. Only 14 % of the pediatric endoscopists surveyed routinely conducted upper gastrointestinal endoscopy under general anesthesia, irrespective of the patient's age or the indication for endoscopy. Patients under the age of 6 months underwent endoscopy as follows: 35 % under conscious sedation, 22 % under general anesthesia, and 43 % with no sedation. After the age of 6 months, endoscopy was conducted as follows: 45 % under conscious sedation, 47 % under general anesthesia, and 8 % with no sedation. Midazolam was the most common drug used for conscious sedation. In patients aged 3 - 5, inhaled nitrous oxide was used instead of midazolam for conscious sedation in 12 % of pediatric endoscopies, and local anesthesia with lidocaine (Xylocaine) in 24 %. In those over the age of 5, the proportions of centers using inhaled nitrous oxide and lidocaine increased to 19 % and 42 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results clearly show that the mode of sedation used in noninterventional upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in the pediatric age group is highly variable.     

Endoscopic management and follow up of Dieulafoy lesion in the upper gastrointestinal tract

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Dieulafoy's lesion is an important cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and the safety and efficacy of endoscopic treatment have been widely accepted. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of endoscopic management, including hemoclipping and injection methods, for bleeding Dieulafoy lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1995 and 2003, 61 patients with bleeding Dieulafoy lesions underwent endoscopic treatment. The available hemostatic methods were hemoclipping, hypertonic saline-epinephrine injection, and pure ethanol injection. Clinical data, endoscopic features, and treatment outcome were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Comorbid conditions were present in 39 patients (64 %). Active bleeding was noted in 20 patients (33 %). Hemoclipping was a selected treatment in 48 patients (79 %). Initial hemostasis was achieved in 61 patients (100 %). One patient had rebleeding 6 days after the initial procedure but was successfully treated endoscopically. The 30-day mortality was 0 %. During follow-up, for a mean of 47 months, 15 patients (25 %) died of causes unrelated to the Dieulafoy lesion. Two patients had recurrent bleeding due to non-Dieulafoy gastric ulcer, and responded to endoscopic therapy. We encountered no patients who required surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Dieulafoy lesion can be successfully managed by endoscopic treatment. The long-term outcome is acceptable.     

Upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage in Emergency Departments in France: causes and management.

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the epidemiology of acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage hospitalized in Emergency Departments. Most of the studies concerning digestive bleeding have been carried out by Gastroenterology Departments. This multicentre study included consecutive patients with acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage hospitalized after an initial management at Emergency Departments in France, to describe the initial medical management and to determine the causes of acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. We also studied the relationship between the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin and the occurrence of an acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage by a case-control comparison. RESULTS: A total of 180 patients (112 men, 59+/-18 years) were included during 23 days, and 353 controls (222 men, 57+/-13 years) were selected at the same time. The delay between the first clinical signs of acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage and arrival at the Emergency Department was 33+/-42 h, and endoscopy was performed 14+/-16 h after admission to the Emergency Department. Sixty-six percent of patients with cirrhosis could benefit from a specific vasoactive treatment. Endoscopy was performed in 160 patients. Bleeding was caused by ulcers and gastritis in 88 patients (49%) and portal hypertension in 59 (32%). The relationship between the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin and acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage was confirmed, odds ratio, (OR) 1.69 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-2.33], but not among cirrhotic patients, odds ratio 1.12 (95% CI 0.65-1.86). CONCLUSION: Hospitalized acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage in Emergency Departments in France is more often caused by cirrhosis than in other countries. Decreasing the delay between the first signs of bleeding and arrival at the Emergency Department is the main challenge in the management of acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage.     

Low utility of endoscopy for suspected upper gastrointestinal bleeding occurring in hospitalized patients

OBJECTIVES: To determine the clinical utility of upper endoscopy in patients who have upper gastrointestinal bleeding after hospitalization. METHODS: Patients were studied who underwent upper endoscopy for an indication of suspected upper gastrointestinal bleeding that developed more than 48 hours after hospitalization. Demographic, clinical, and endoscopic data were extracted by chart review. Bleeding was characterized as clinically important (defined as overt bleeding in association with hemodynamic compromise or the need for blood transfusion) or non-clinically important. RESULTS: Eighty-six patients met inclusion criteria. Clinically important bleeding occurred in 17%. Peptic ulcer disease and gastritis were the most common sources of bleeding in the clinically important and non-clinically important groups, respectively. The bleeding source was not found in 24% of patients. Endoscopic therapy was required in 11% (all of whom had clinically important bleeding). Upper endoscopy prompted no treatment changes in the non-clinically important bleeding group. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic therapy was needed only in the few patients with clinically important bleeding. Nonendoscopic treatment can be recommended for upper gastrointestinal bleeding developing in hospitalized patients who do not meet established criteria for a clinically important bleed.     

High-risk ED patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage undergoing emergency or urgent endoscopy: a retrospective analysis

OBJECTIVES: The optimal timing of interventional endoscopy within the initial 24 hours remains controversial. We designed a retrospective study to compare the outcomes between emergency endoscopy (EE) and urgent endoscopy (UE) for high-risk patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage presenting to the emergency department (ED). METHODS: The medical records of 189 patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage who underwent endoscopy within 24 hours of admission to the ED were reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups: EE group (<8 hours) or UE group (8-24 hours). We compared the endoscopic findings, hemostatic procedures, rate of hemostasis, rebleeding, need for transfusion, length of hospitalization, and mortality between the 2 groups. RESULTS: There were 88 patients (47%) in the EE group and 101 patients (53%) in the UE group. Ulcers with active bleeding or exposed vessel were found more frequently in the EE group than in the UE group (19% vs 8%, P = .03; 34% vs 12%, P < .001). Fifty patients had blood retention in the stomach, especially in the EE group (40% vs 15%, P < .001). Forty-four (50%) patients in the EE group and 21 (21%) patients in the UE group received endoscopic interventions. Combination modalities of endoscopic hemostasis were more commonly used in the EE group than in the UE group (40% vs 15%, P < .001). Primary hemostasis was achieved at a rate of 95% in both groups. There was no statistical difference regarding the rate of recurrent bleeding, total amount of transfusion, length of hospital stay, and mortality rate in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although more active lesions were detected and more therapeutic attempts were performed in the EE group, the outcome showed no difference in both groups. Emergency endoscopy performed less than 8 hours after arrival to the ED showed no definite benefit in comparison with UE performed within 8 to 24 hours.     

Complications of endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract: a single-center experience

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prospectively the complications that occurred during consecutive endoscopies of the upper gastrointestinal tract. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated all endoscopies of the upper gastrointestinal tract (except endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endosonography) performed at the Ambulatory Surgical Center at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla, between January 1999 and June 2002. A staff gastroenterologist with or without a trainee performed these procedures. Therapeutic procedures included esophageal band ligation, injection sclerotherapy, botulinum toxin injection, extended upper endoscopy, pneumatic balloon dilation, endoscopic mucosal resection, and endoscopic ablation using thermal laser, argon beam coagulator, or photodynamic therapy. All complications were tabulated prospectively as per mandatory state licensure reporting. RESULTS: Complications after diagnostic endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract were related to anesthesia in 2 of the 12,841 patients. Perforations in 5 patients were associated with esophageal dilation (2), resection of duodenal lesions (2), or passage of a side-viewing instrument into the duodenum (1). No deaths occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract is safe, with a complication rate of less than 1 per 5000 cases. Therapeutic endoscopy increases the risk of complications. Compared with complication rates published previously, our results from a single center indicate a favorable reduction in complications related to endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract.     

"Missed" upper gastrointestinal tract lesions may explain "occult" bleeding.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Enteroscopy has been shown to be an effective diagnostic method in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the small bowel are the most common lesions discovered at enteroscopy. However, bleeding lesions may still be detected in the upper gastrointestinal tract even in patients who have previously undergone esophagogastroduodenoscopy. The aim of this study was to focus on these "missed" upper gastrointestinal lesions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of all enteroscopic examinations carried out in patients with suspected gastrointestinal bleeding or overt gastrointestinal bleeding treated at our institution between 1993 and 1997. All patients had previously undergone an esophagogastroduodenoscopy. The push enteroscope (Olympus XSIF-100) was used in all of them. RESULTS: Push enteroscopy was performed in 233 patients (124 men and 109 women; mean age 63). A suspected bleeding lesion was observed in 53 % of the cases. AVMs represented 63% of the detected lesions. "Missed" upper gastrointestinal lesions were described in 25 patients (10.2 %). In half of these cases, the lesion was located in the upper part of the fundus. Wirsungorrhagia was the cause of bleeding in two cases. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirmed that push enteroscopy is an effective method of detecting lesions responsible for occult gastrointestinal bleeding. In this study, the overall diagnostic yield was 53%. In 10% of the patients, the lesion was located in the upper gastrointestinal tract, despite an initial esophagogastroduodenoscopy. The lesions were mainly located in the fundus. Although it is a rare condition, Wirsungorrhagia must be considered in patients with occult gastrointestinal bleeding.     

Clinical impact of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy in patients with upper gastrointestinal tract malignancies. A prospective study.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Several studies have evaluated the accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNAB) in the upper gastrointestinal tract, but so far no studies have specifically evaluated the clinical impact of EUS-FNAB in upper gastrointestinal tract cancer patients. In this consecutive and prospective study, EUS-FNAB was only performed if a positive malignant finding would change the therapeutic strategy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1997 and 1999, 307 consecutive patients were referred for EUS with a diagnosis or strong suspicion of esophageal, gastric or pancreatic cancer; 274 patients were potential candidates for surgical treatment and had EUS. According to predefined impact criteria, 27% (75/274) of the patients had EUS-FNAB for staging or diagnostic reasons. RESULTS: The overall clinical impact of EUS-FNAB was 13%, 14%, and 30% in esophageal, gastric, and pancreatic cancer, respectively. The staging-related clinical impact was similar for all three types of cancer (11-12.5%), whereas the diagnosis-related impact was highest in pancreatic cancer patients (86%). EUS-FNAB was inadequate in 13% and gave false-negative results in 5%. The overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for EUS-FNAB were 80%, 78% and 80%, respectively. No complications related to the biopsy procedure were seen. CONCLUSIONS: If EUS-FNAB was performed only in cases where a positive malignant result would change patient management, then approximately one out of four patients with upper gastrointestinal tract cancer would require a biopsy. With this approach the actual clinical impact of EUS-FNAB ranged from 13% in esophageal cancer to 30% in pancreatic cancer. EUS-FNAB plays a limited, but very important clinical role in the assessment of upper gastrointestinal tract cancer.     

Endoscopic findings predict the histologic diagnosis in gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) of the gastrointestinal tract is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Whether endoscopic findings predict the histologic diagnosis of GvHD in the gastrointestinal tract remains controversial. We performed a study to determine the diagnostic accuracy of macroscopic endoscopy findings in the diagnosis of acute and chronic histologically proven gastrointestinal GvHD (GI-GvHD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Endoscopic images from the intestinal mucosa of post-BMT patients were blindly graded as positive or negative for GI-GvHD and compared with corresponding histological findings, which were used as the gold standard. RESULTS: 44 BMT patients were referred for 96 endoscopic evaluations. Using 162 endoscopy-biopsy pairs, a positive association between endoscopic grading and histologic grading of GI-GvHD (odds ratio [OR] = 11.97, 95% CI 3.86, 37.16) was observed. Endoscopic diagnosis correctly predicted histologic diagnosis in both acute and chronic GI-GvHD (OR = 9.3 vs. 23.1, P = 0.31). CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic accuracy of endoscopy was high in both acute and chronic histologically proven GI-GvHD. Accurate diagnosis of GI-GvHD might be obtained with mucosal biopsies from either the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract. Endoscopy may play a significant role in establishing early diagnosis and treatment for GI-GvHD in patients following BMT, but histologic evaluation of the gastrointestinal mucosa is needed to confirm the final diagnosis.     

Future innovative therapies to treat upper gastrointestinal bleeding

The age of patients admitted to hospital for gastrointestinal bleeding will probably continue to rise, pushing the mortality rate upward, and the use of arthritic and blood thinning drugs will increase the incidence of gastrointestinal bleeding, especially in elderly patients. A slow decrease may be seen in the incidence of Helicobacter-induced ulceration and consequent bleeding in the west. New vaccine development has the best chance of reducing upper gastrointestinal bleeding worldwide, especially that caused by viral infections. Innovations in mechanical and compressive thermal hemostasis offer the best prospects for improvement in outcome from flexible therapeutic endoscopy.