Upper gastrointestinal bleeding. With special reference to blood transfusion.
Upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage in 978 unselected patients during a 9-year period was reviewed in regard to incidence, diagnosis, treatment and mortality rate. The annual incidence was 1/1,000 of the catchment population. The source of bleeding was established in 89% of cases. Peptic ulcer accounted for 53% of total admissions. Blood transfusion was given only when the haemoglobin was less than 8.0 g/dl or if the patient was in shock. Emergency surgery was performed on only 31 patients (3%). The perioperative mortality was 13% and the overall mortality 6%. It is concluded that current treatment policy resulted in low rates of operation and mortality in these unselected cases of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. The results support the theory that a hypercoagulable state in gastrointestinal bleeding is counteracted by citrated stored blood.
Department of Surgery, Sundsvall County Hospital, Sweden.
A E
AE
Henriksson
J O
JO
Svensson
D000368:Aged; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010438:Peptic Ulcer Hemorrhage / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D006454:Hemoglobins