Role of Doppler US in acute peptic ulcer hemorrhage: can it predict failure of endoscopic therapy?
BACKGROUND
Recurrent bleeding after successful primary endoscopic hemostasis of acutely bleeding ulcers is a significant problem. This study evaluates endoscopic Doppler ultrasound (US) in assessing risk of recurrent bleeding in patients presenting with acute peptic ulcer hemorrhage.


METHODS
In this prospective, double-blind, nonrandomized trial, patients were enrolled from a single academic institution. Only patients with endoscopically confirmed gastric, duodenal, pyloric, or anastomotic ulcers were enrolled. The therapeutic endoscopist was blinded to the Doppler US signal from the ulcer and based treatment decisions on standard guidelines. A 16 MHz pulsed-wave, linear scanning, US probe was used through the accessory channel of an endoscope to assess for the presence of a Doppler signal.


RESULTS
Fifty-two of 139 screened patients entered the trial (55 Doppler sessions). Endoscopic therapy was performed in 42% (30-day recurrent bleeding rate of 17%). Ulcers that remained persistently Doppler positive immediately after endoscopic therapy had a significantly higher rate of recurrent bleeding than ulcers where the Doppler signal was abolished: 100% versus 11% (p = 0.003). There were no bleeding-related deaths.


CONCLUSIONS
A persistently positive Doppler US signal appears to be a marker of inadequate endoscopic therapy in patients with acutely bleeding peptic ulcers.
Wong
R C
RC
Division of Gastroenterology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-5066, USA.
Chak
A
A
Kobayashi
K
K
Isenberg
G A
GA
Cooper
G S
GS
Carr-Locke
D L
DL
Sivak
M V
MV
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D019160:Endosonography; D005260:Female; D016558:Hemostasis, Endoscopic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D010438:Peptic Ulcer Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D017211:Treatment Failure; D018617:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Pulsed / Q000379:methods*