Clinical implications of the white nipple sign and its role in the diagnosis of esophageal variceal hemorrhage.
OBJECTIVE
Differentiation of esophageal variceal hemorrhage from other sources of the GI tract is often difficult. This is a prospective investigation of the significance of the white nipple sign in patients with recent esophageal variceal hemorrhage.


METHODS
One hundred sixty-six patients with recent variceal hemorrhage were prospectively studied with respect to presence or absence of the white nipple sign and other stigmata of hemorrhage and compared with 100 patients with known varices but without a clinical history of bleeding.


RESULTS
The white nipple sign correlated positively with severity of bleeding (patients required more blood transfusion), hematemesis, and signs of shock. Patients with the white nipple sign also tended to undergo emergency endoscopy and have active bleeding at the time of endoscopy. There was no correlation between rebleeding rate after endoscopic therapy and presence of the white nipple sign. Appearance of the white nipple sign was closely related to the timing of endoscopy (p < 0.0001). The sensitivity and specificity of the white nipple sign in the diagnosis of esophageal variceal hemorrhage were 21 and 100%, respectively, compared with 100 and 54% for the red color sign. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the white nipple sign increased with shorter times between bleeding and endoscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with upper GI bleeding, the white nipple sign suggests that the varices bled recently and that the bleeding was severe. However, it has no predictive value for rebleeding after endoscopic therapy. Earlier endoscopy (i.e., within 24 h of bleeding) is suggested to improve the diagnostic rate of esophageal variceal hemorrhage.
Hou
M C
MC
Department of Medicine, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan.
Lin
H C
HC
Kuo
B I
BI
Lee
F Y
FY
Schmidt
C M
CM
Lee
S D
SD
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity