title: Epistaxis and its management: an observational pilot study carried out in 23 hospital centres in France.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to describe the treatment of epistaxis in hospital emergency departments and to identify the principal risk factors for more severe episodes of bleeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cross-sectional epidemiological study
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out in 23 hospital centres in France, most of them teaching hospitals. Every patient presenting non-traumatic epistaxis or else associated with hereditary hemangioma during two consecutive and separate 24-hour periods were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty patients were included in the study. Nasal bleeding was stopped within 30 minutes for 47 patients. Fourteen patients were hospitalized. The risk factors for severe epistaxis included either copious bleeding or else bleeding for more than 6 hours or patients aged 65 and over. A history of repeated nasal packing and/or taking medication with a known hemorrhagic risk was associated with the amount and duration of bleeding (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Risk factors for severe epistaxis should be identified as to improve patient care and avoid treatment failure or useless hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire, Poitiers, BP 577- 86021, Poitiers Cedex, France. j.m.klossek@chu-poitiers.fr
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Klossek
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dufour
authors.forename: Claude Beauvillain
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: de Montreuil
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Fontanel
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peynègre
authors.forename: Emile
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reyt
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rugina
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samardzic
authors.forename: Elie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stoll
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chevillard
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies