[Difficulties and controversies in hospitalized patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding].
OBJECTIVE
Lower intestinal bleeding (LGIB) is a frequent reason for hospitalization; however, the prognostic factors have not been clearly defined. The aim of this paper was to analyze several clinical parameters and the management of this entity in our department from 2005 to 2007.


METHODS
all hospitalized patients with LGIB were retrospectively (2005-2006) and prospectively (2006-2007) included. Medical records, physical examination (anal digital examination included), blood testing, and colonoscopic examination (in most of patients) were performed.


RESULTS
137 patients were included during 2005-2006: 36% of them required blood transfusion; thirty-one percent of patients showed previous episodes of LGIB, and 62% had a favorable outcome. Time from admission to colonoscopy was 4.1 days, and length of stay was 10.2 days. In the 2006-2007 study 96 patients were included: 42% of them required blood transfusion, thirty-three percent of patients showed previous episodes of LGIB, and 68% had a favorable outcome. Time from admission to colonoscopy was 2.6 days, and length of stay was 7.7 days. The most frequent etiology was diverticulosis in both studies.


CONCLUSIONS
Hospital length of stay and time from admission to colonoscopy in patients with LGIB was reduced by 25% and 37%, respectively, in the 2005-2006 period with regard to the 2006-2007 one; however, there were no more bleeding points or a decrease in bleeding recurrence.
Martín Martín
L
L
Servicio de Hepatogastroenterología y Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain. lmleticia@yahoo.es
Trapero-Marugán
M
M
Cantero Perona
J
J
Moreno Otero
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000628:therapy*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult