title: ENDOSCOPIC FINDINGS OF UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL BLEEDING IN PATIENTS WITH LIVER CIRROSIS.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common medical emergency. A common risk factor of upper GI bleeding is cirrhosis of liver, which can lead to variceal haemorrhage. 30-40% of cirrhotic patients who bleed may have non-variceal upper GI bleeding and it is frequently caused by peptic ulcers, portal gastropathy, Mallory-Weiss tear, and gastroduodenal erosions. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings among patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal bleeding with liver cirrhosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Gastroenterology & Hepatology Department of Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad from February 2012 to June 2013. 252 patients diagnosed with cirrhosis, presenting with upper GI bleed, age 50 years of either gender, and were included in the study. Non-probability consecutive sampling was used, Endoscopy was performed on each patient and the findings documented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 57.84 +/- 6.29 years. There were 158 (62.7%) males and 94 (37.3%) females. The most common endoscopic finding was oesophageal varices (92.9%, n=234) followed by portal hypertensive gastropathy (38.9%, n=98) with almost equal distribution among males and females. Gastric varices were found in 33.3% of patients (n=84). Among other non-variceal lesions, peptic ulcer disease was seen in 26 patients (10.3%) while gastric erosions were found in 8 patients (3.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with acute upper GI bleeding and liver cirrhosis, the most common endoscopic finding is oesophageal varices, with a substantially higher value in our part of the country, apart from other non-variceal causes.
authors.forename: Rania
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hadayat
authors.forename: Attique-ur-Rehman
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Jehangiri
authors.forename: Rahid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gul
authors.forename: Adil Naseer
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Said
authors.forename: Asadullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gandapur
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors