Timing of Endoscopy for Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

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timing-of-endoscopy-for-acute-upper-gastrointestinal-bleeding

In patients with high risk upper GI bleeding, who were treated with pre-endoscopy PPI and were not in persistent shock, an endoscopy performed at a median of 10 hours vs. a median of 25 hours post presentation did not reduce 30 day mortality.

Personally, given the fact that the patients were relatively stable I will not be using this study to inform my management of critical care patients admitted with acute UGI bleeds, or let this trial be used as an argument to delay endoscopy for an unwell patient.

It’s utility (within the confines of its weaknesses) would be for those patients in ED or on the acute medical take.

The reduction in endoscopic interventions in the early group is interesting and warrants further research.

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