title: Audit of mortality in upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
abstract: The outcome in 1017 patients with haematemesis and malaena referred to two major hospitals in Nottingham within a 2-year period has been prospectively evaluated. Ninety one (9%) patients died during the time period under consideration and all but four were found to have been over 60 years of age. There were 13 (14%) deaths following rebleeding, of whom 5 (5%) could have been potentially avoided by alterations in management. Some improvement of mortality might result from intensive-care facilities with better management of transfusions and earlier detection of rebleeding allowing earlier endoscopy or surgery. The majority of patients (81%), however, died from concomitant disease which was exacerbated by gastrointestinal haemorrhage or bleeding developed in patients with an already existing end-stage disease. These results show that a reduction of mortality in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding is hampered by the high number of poor-risk patients. The rise in the proportion of elderly patients with this disorder seems to continue.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Essen, FRG.
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Katschinski
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Langman
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D004724:Endoscopy; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies