Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in an urban hospital.
Aspirin and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs have been implicated in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal hemorrhage. To evaluate their impact on inpatients, charts from Temple University Hospital with a discharge ICD-9 code which included upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage during a one-year period were reviewed. Aspirin and/or nonaspirin nonsteroid antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) use was identified in 34 patients (19 daily users and 15 intermittent users). Sixty-seven patients who bled, but did not use these agents, served as controls. Daily NSAID users were older than intermittent users and controls (P < 0.05). A higher frequency of bleeding ulcers was associated with NSAID use. Patients using NSAIDs spent more time in intensive care than controls (median 1 day vs 0 days). Daily users had a higher transfusion requirement (4 units) than non-users (0 units; P < 0.05). This study suggests that NSAID use has a substantial impact on health care resource utilization in patients admitted to an urban hospital for upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
Klein
W A
WA
Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140.
Krevsky
B
B
Klepper
L
L
Ljubich
P
P
Niewiarowski
T J
TJ
Rothstein
K D
KD
Dabezies
M A
MA
Fisher
R S
RS
D000367:Age Factors; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D015143:Philadelphia / Q000453:epidemiology
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001241:Aspirin