Effect of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding manifestations at admission on the in-hospital outcomes of liver cirrhosis: hematemesis versus melena without hematemesis.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) often manifest as hematemesis and melena. Theoretically, hematemesis will carry worse outcomes of AUGIB. However, there is little real-world evidence. We aimed to compare the outcomes of hematemesis versus no hematemesis as a clinical manifestation of AUGIB at admission in cirrhotic patients. METHODS: All cirrhotic patients with AUGIB who were consecutively admitted to our hospital from January 2010 to June 2014 were considered in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into hematemesis with or without melena and melena alone without hematemesis at admission. A 1:1 propensity score matching analysis was performed. Subgroup analyses were performed based on systemic hemodynamics (stable and unstable) and Child-Pugh class (A and B+C). Sensitivity analyses were conducted in patients with moderate and severe esophageal varices confirmed on endoscopy. Primary outcomes included five-day rebleeding and in-hospital death. RESULTS: Overall, 793 patients were included. Patients with hematemesis at admission had significantly higher five-day rebleeding rate (17.4 versus 10.1%, P = 0.004) and in-hospital mortality (7.9 versus 2.4%, P = 0.001) than those without hematemesis. In the propensity score matching analyses, 358 patients were included with similar Child-Pugh score (P = 0.227) and MELD score (P = 0.881) between the two groups; five-day rebleeding rate (19.0 versus 10.6%, P = 0.026) and in-hospital mortality (8.4 versus 2.8%, P = 0.021) remained significantly higher in patients with hematemesis. In the subgroup and sensitivity analyses, the statistical results were also similar. CONCLUSIONS: Hematemesis at admission indicates worse outcomes of cirrhotic patients with AUGIB, which is useful for the risk stratification of AUGIB.

Severity and Outcomes of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding With Bloody Vs. Coffee-Grounds Hematemesis.

OBJECTIVES: Numerous reviews indicate bloody hematemesis signifies more severe bleeding than coffee-grounds hematemesis. We assessed severity and outcomes related to bleeding symptoms in a prospective study. METHODS: Consecutive patients presenting with hematemesis or melena were categorized as bloody emesis (N=1209), coffee-grounds emesis without bloody emesis (N=701), or melena without hematemesis (N=1069). We assessed bleeding severity (pulse, blood pressure) and predictors of outcome (hemoglobin, risk stratification scores) at presentation, and outcomes of bleeding episodes. The primary outcome was a composite of transfusion, intervention, or mortality. RESULTS: Bloody and coffee-grounds emesis were similar in pulse ≥100 beats/min (35 vs. 37%), systolic blood pressure ≤100 mm Hg (12 vs. 12%), and hemoglobin ≤100 g/l (25 vs. 27%). Risk stratification scores were lower with bloody emesis. The composite end point was 34.7 vs. 38.2% for bloody vs. coffee-grounds emesis; mortality was 6.6 vs. 9.3%. Hemostatic intervention was more common (19.4 vs. 14.4%) with bloody emesis (due to a higher frequency of varices necessitating endoscopic therapy), as was rebleeding (7.8 vs. 4.5%). Outcomes were worse with hematemesis plus melena vs. isolated hematemesis for bloody (composite: 62.4 vs. 25.6%; hemostatic intervention: 36.5 vs. 13.8%) and coffee-grounds emesis (composite: 59.1 vs. 27.1%; hemostatic intervention: 26.4 vs. 8.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Bloody emesis is not associated with more severe bleeding episodes at presentation or higher mortality than coffee-grounds emesis, but is associated with modestly higher rates of hemostatic intervention and rebleeding. Outcomes with hematemesis are worsened with concurrent melena. The presence of bloody emesis plus melena potentially could be considered in decisions regarding timing of endoscopy.

Hepatic and Gastric Involvement in a Case of Systemic Sarcoidosis Presenting with Rupture of Esophageal Varices.

A 46-year-old woman presented with massive hematemesis, caused by the rupture of esophageal varices. The laboratory investigations showed pancytopenia, and imaging tests revealed hepatosplenomegaly and ascites. A diagnosis of systemic sarcoidosis was made based on biopsies of the liver, stomach, lungs, heart, and skin. Although fat deposition was predominant, non-caseating granuloma and cirrhotic changes were found in the liver. Non-caseating granuloma was also identified in a biopsy specimen from minute depressions of the gastric folds. This case illustrates the rare involvement of the digestive system in a case of systemic sarcoidosis.

Terlipressin Induced Severe Hyponatremia.

Terlipressin is a vasopressin analogue used for its vasoconstrictor effect in the treatment of variceal bleeding. Despite its good safety profile compared to vasopressin, some adverse reactions may occur during its use - e.g. hyponatremia. We describe a case of a cirrhotic patient with active variceal bleeding treated during two separate hospitalizations with terlipressin. In both drug treatment periods, severe laboratory hyponatremia developed. After terlipressin discontinuation, mineral disbalance corrected rapidly. Positive dechallenge and rechallenge corresponding to the drug administration schedule confirms the causality between terlipressin administration and hyponatremia. Hyponatremia was preceded with substantial fluid retention in both episodes. In this case report we want to highlight the need for fluid balance monitoring immediately after first terlipressin dose, which may individually predict the patient risk for the development of hyponatremia as other risk factors have rather limited predictive value in real clinical settings.

Therapeutic Antibody-Induced Vascular Toxicity Due to Off-Target Activation of Nitric Oxide in Cynomolgus Monkeys.

PRO304186, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting soluble interleukin-17 A and F, was developed for autoimmune and inflammatory disease indications. When administered to cynomolgus monkeys PRO304186 induced unexpected adverse effects characterized by clinical signs of hematemesis, hematochezia, and moribundity. Pathology findings included hemorrhage throughout the gastrointestinal tract without any evidence of vascular wall damage or inflammatory cellular infiltration. Mechanistic investigation of these effects revealed mild elevations of serum MCP-1 and IL-12/23 but without a classical proinflammatory profile in PRO304186-treated animals. In vitro studies demonstrated off-target effects on vascular endothelial cells including activation of nitric oxide synthase leading to production of nitric oxide (NO) accompanied by increased mitochondrial membrane depolarization, glutathione depletion, and increased paracellular permeability. Additionally, endothelial cell-PRO304186-conditioned medium reduced myosin light chain phosphorylation in vascular smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, an ex vivo study utilizing segments from cynomolgus aorta and femoral artery confirmed PRO304186-induced endothelium-dependent smooth muscle relaxation and vasodilation mediated via NO. Finally, a single dose of PRO304186 in cynomolgus monkeys induced a rapid and pronounced increase in NO in the portal circulation that preceded a milder elevation of NO in the systemic circulation and corresponded temporally with systemic hypotension; findings consistent with NO-mediated vasodilation leading to hypotension. These changes were associated with non-inflammatory, localized hemorrhage in the gastrointestinal tract consistent with hemodynamic vascular injury associated with intense local vasodilation. Together, these data demonstrate that PRO304186-associated toxicity in monkeys was due to an off-target effect on endothelium that involved regional NO release resulting in severe systemic vasodilation, hypotension, and hemorrhage.

Comparison of Direct and Indirect Laryngoscopes in Vomitus and Hematemesis Settings: A Randomized Simulation Trial.

BACKGROUND: Videolaryngoscopes may not be useful in the presence of hematemesis or vomitus. We compared the utility of the Macintosh laryngoscope (McL), which is a direct laryngoscope, with that of the Pentax-AWS Airwayscope (AWS) and McGRATH MAC (McGRATH), which are videolaryngoscopes, in simulated hematemesis and vomitus settings. METHODS: Seventeen anesthesiologists with more than 1 year of experience performed tracheal intubation on an adult manikin using McL, AWS, and McGRATH under normal, hematemesis, and vomitus simulations. RESULTS: In the normal setting, the intubation success rate was 100% for all three laryngoscopes. In the hematemesis settings, the intubation success rate differed significantly among the three laryngoscopes (P = 0.021). In the vomitus settings, all participants succeeded in tracheal intubation with McL or McGRATH, while five failed in the AWS trial with significant difference (P = 0.003). The intubation time did not significantly differ in normal settings, while it was significantly longer in the AWS trial compared to McL or McGRATH trial in the hematemesis or vomitus settings (P < 0.001, compared to McL or McGRATH in both settings). CONCLUSION: The performance of McGRATH and McL can be superior to that of AWS for tracheal intubation in vomitus and hematemesis settings in adults.

Downhill oesophageal variceal bleeding: A rare complication in Behçet's disease-related superior vena cava syndrome.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystemic disorder that involves vessels of all sizes. Superior vena cava (SVC) thrombosis is a rare complication that can lead to the development of various collateral pathways. A 31-year-old man presented with SVC syndrome. He had a history of recurrent genital aphthosis. Computed tomography revealed extensive thrombosis of the right internal jugular, axillary, and subclavian veins with collateral circulation. The patient was diagnosed with BD, and he was started on anticoagulation and immunosuppressive therapy. One week later, he presented with haematemesis. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy disclosed varices in the upper third of the oesophagus with stigmata of recent bleeding. Portal hypertension was ruled out. Anticoagulation therapy was discontinued. He was discharged on immunosuppressive therapy. Bleeding from downhill oesophageal varices should be suspected in any patient presenting with upper gastrointestinal bleeding and a history of SVC syndrome due to BD.

The utility of upper endoscopy in patients with concomitant upper gastrointestinal bleeding and acute myocardial infarction.

Patients who present with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in the setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) may have suffered an UGIB that subsequently led to an AMI or endured an AMI and subsequently suffered a UGIB as a consequence of anticoagulation. We hypothesized that patients in the former group bled from more severe upper tract lesions. The aim of this study was to evaluate predictors for endoscopic therapy in patients who suffer a concomitant UGIB and AMI. Retrospective, single center medical record abstraction of hospital admissions from January 1, 1996-December 31, 2002. During the study period, 183 patients underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) within 7 days of suffering an AMI and UGIB (AMI group N=105, UGIB group N=78). A higher proportion of patients in the UGIB group (41%) was found to have high-risk UGI lesions requiring endoscopic treatment compared to patients in the AMI group (17%; P < 0.004). UGIB as the inciting event and patients suffering from hematemesis and hemodynamic instability were significantly associated with requiring endoscopic therapy. Although predominantly diagnostic, endoscopic findings in the AMI group did alter the decision to perform cardiac catheterization in 43% of patients. Severe complications occurred in 1% (95% confidence interval, 0%-4%) of patients. We conclude that in patients suffering from concomitant UGIB and AMI, urgent endoscopy was most beneficial in patients with UGIB as the initial event and those presenting with hematemesis and hemodynamic instability. In patients without these clinical features, urgent endoscopy may be delayed, unless cardiac management decisions are dependent on endoscopic findings.

Traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the pharyngeal artery: An unusual cause of hematemesis and hematochezia after craniofacial trauma.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic aneurysms of the internal maxillary artery are extremely rare. We report a case of traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the pharyngeal artery, a branch of the internal maxillary artery, presenting with hematemesis and hematochezia. CASE DESCRIPTION: An 18-year-old man presented with deep drowsy consciousness after a motor vehicle accident, in which he had a severe craniofacial injury. Three days later, he had hematemesis and hematochezia with a marked decrease in circulating hemoglobin level. External carotid arteriography performed to rule out vascular injury revealed active leakage from a false aneurysm of the pharyngeal artery. The lesion was successfully obliterated by superselective endovascular embolization. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with craniofacial injury associated with multiple traumas, traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the pharyngeal artery should be suspected as one of the possible causes of hematemesis and hematochezia. Selective endovascular embolization with cerebral angiography is an effective modality for the treatment and diagnosis of this lesion.

Dos casos de enteritis con bacteriemia por Campylobacter jejuni / Two cases of enteritis with bacteremia due to Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter es un importante agente causante de enfermedad en el ser humano en nuestro medio. Los casos de bacteriemia ocurren principalmente en pacientes inmunosuprimidos y sondebidos frecuentemente a C. fetus. Sin embargo la bacteriemia es un episodio que también se ha observado enpacientes con enteritis por C. jejuni. Referimos dos pacientes con enteritis grave y bacteriemia, ambos con enfermedades concomitantes compatibles con inmunodepresión: uno con síndrome nefrótico de larga data y otro con hepatopatía crónica con cirrosis. Destacamos que los dos casos presentaron hematemesis y uno de ellos,enterorragia. Sugerimos prestar atención a la coloración de Gram durante el subcultivo de los caldos conhemocultivos, en busca de formas características de esta especie, y en ese caso emplear medios de cultivo enmicroaerofilia a 37 y 42 °C

Campylobacter is an importantagent of illness in human beings. Bacteremia occurs principally in the immunocompromissed host and is frequently due to C. fetus. Nevertheless bacteremia also has been observed in patients with enteritis due to C. jejuni. We refer two cases of patients with severe enteritis and bacteremia, both of them with immunosupressive concomitant diseases such as nephrotic syndrome and chronic cirrotic hepatopathy. Both patients presented hemathemesis

Dos casos de enteritis con bacteriemia por Campylobacter jejuni / Two cases of enteritis with bacteremia due to Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter es un importante agente causante de enfermedad en el ser humano en nuestro medio. Los casos de bacteriemia ocurren principalmente en pacientes inmunosuprimidos y sondebidos frecuentemente a C. fetus. Sin embargo la bacteriemia es un episodio que también se ha observado enpacientes con enteritis por C. jejuni. Referimos dos pacientes con enteritis grave y bacteriemia, ambos con enfermedades concomitantes compatibles con inmunodepresión: uno con síndrome nefrótico de larga data y otro con hepatopatía crónica con cirrosis. Destacamos que los dos casos presentaron hematemesis y uno de ellos,enterorragia. Sugerimos prestar atención a la coloración de Gram durante el subcultivo de los caldos conhemocultivos, en busca de formas características de esta especie, y en ese caso emplear medios de cultivo enmicroaerofilia a 37 y 42 ºC (AU)

Campylobacter is an importantagent of illness in human beings. Bacteremia occurs principally in the immunocompromissed host and is frequently due to C. fetus. Nevertheless bacteremia also has been observed in patients with enteritis due to C. jejuni. We refer two cases of patients with severe enteritis and bacteremia, both of them with immunosupressive concomitant diseases such as nephrotic syndrome and chronic cirrotic hepatopathy. Both patients presented hemathemesis (AU)

Dos casos de enteritis con bacteriemia por Campylobacter jejuni / Two cases of enteritis with bacteremia due to Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter es un importante agente causante de enfermedad en el ser humano en nuestro medio. Los casos de bacteriemia ocurren principalmente en pacientes inmunosuprimidos y sondebidos frecuentemente a C. fetus. Sin embargo la bacteriemia es un episodio que también se ha observado enpacientes con enteritis por C. jejuni. Referimos dos pacientes con enteritis grave y bacteriemia, ambos con enfermedades concomitantes compatibles con inmunodepresión: uno con síndrome nefrótico de larga data y otro con hepatopatía crónica con cirrosis. Destacamos que los dos casos presentaron hematemesis y uno de ellos,enterorragia. Sugerimos prestar atención a la coloración de Gram durante el subcultivo de los caldos conhemocultivos, en busca de formas características de esta especie, y en ese caso emplear medios de cultivo enmicroaerofilia a 37 y 42 ºC (AU)

Campylobacter is an importantagent of illness in human beings. Bacteremia occurs principally in the immunocompromissed host and is frequently due to C. fetus. Nevertheless bacteremia also has been observed in patients with enteritis due to C. jejuni. We refer two cases of patients with severe enteritis and bacteremia, both of them with immunosupressive concomitant diseases such as nephrotic syndrome and chronic cirrotic hepatopathy. Both patients presented hemathemesis (AU)

Cirugía en las hemorragias graves de las úlceras gastroduodenales / Surgical management of severe hemorrhage associated with gastroduodenal ulcer

Introducción. En más de 22 años han sido operados 200 pacientes por presentar una hemorragia digestiva de origen ulceroso: 140 varones y 60 mujeres con una edad media de 66 años. El 39 por ciento tenía más de 75 años, el 18 por ciento tenía antecedentes ulcerosos, el 32 por ciento tomaba medicamentos gastrotóxicos y en el 51 por ciento existían alteraciones orgánicas. La endoscopia demostró en el 54 por ciento de los casos una hemorragia activa (difusa, en chorro o con vaso visible), mientras que en un 29 por ciento los coágulos no permitían identificar la lesión. La indicación operatoria se estableció en el 68 por ciento de casos por una hemorragia activa y en el 32 por ciento por recidiva. En el presente estudio se analizan los resultados del tratamiento quirúrgico aplicado en los 200 casos valorando los factores de riesgo y los índices de morbilidad y mortalidad en función de la úlcera y del tipo de intervención realizada. Pacientes y métodos. Se aplicaron técnicas quirúrgicas conservadoras en tres cuartas partes de los pacientes y una cirugía radical en el 26 por ciento. En el 55 por ciento de los pacientes no hubo complicaciones postoperatorias y los índices de morbilidad y de mortalidad fueron, respectivamente, del 18 y del 25 por ciento. Resultados. Los resultados obtenidos permiten constatar que el carácter de gravedad de la úlcera está condicionado por su localización, así como por los factores de gravedad del paciente (edad superior a los 60 años, existencia de alteraciones, toma de medicamentos gastrotóxicos o anticoagulantes) que son los parámetros que incitan a la realización de una cirugía precoz con pretensión curativa de la enfermedad ulcerosa. Otros factores también desempeñan un papel importante, como: la hemorragia persistente, la recidiva precoz y la existencia de signos predictivos de recidiva, vinculados al terreno y al aspecto endoscópico. De hecho las recidivas hemorrágicas, cuya incidencia es significativamente más importante después de cirugía conservadora, representan el 28 por ciento de las causas de muerte. Conclusión. Los datos obtenidos permiten deducir el tipo de operación que debe ser aplicado sobre la base de los factores de gravedad. En realidad, la indicación quirúrgica debe ser modelada en función del contexto global de la situación, ya que la introducción de criterios de riesgo reduce la mortalidad (AU)