The Current Portrayal of Non-Variceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in a Portuguese Tertiary Center.

INTRODUCTION: Non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) is an important healthcare problem whose epidemiology and outcomes have been changing throughout the years. The main goal of this study was to characterize the current demographics, etiologies, and risk factors of NVUGIB. METHODS: Analysis of clinical, endoscopic, and outcome data from patients who were admitted for NVUGIB between January 2016 and January 2019 in an emergency department of a tertiary hospital center. RESULTS: A total of 522 patients were included, with a median age of 71 years, mainly men, with multiple comorbidities. Most patients were directly admitted, while the others were transferred from other hospitals. Peptic ulcer disease was the most common cause of NVUGIB and it was followed by tumor bleeding. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed within <12 h after hospital admission in 51.9%. In-hospital rebleeding occurred in 6.9% and overall mortality was 4.2%. Transferred patients had superior Glasgow-Blatchford score (GBS), required more blood transfusion, endoscopic and surgical interventions, and presented higher rebleeding rate, with similar mortality. Complete Rockall score (CRS) and GBS were predictors of endoscopic therapy. Surgery need was only related to CRS. Patients who rebled had superior pre-endoscopic Rockall score (RS), CRS, and GBS. Mortality was increased in patients with higher RS and CRS. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Ageing and increasing comorbidities have not been related to worse outcomes in NVUGIB. These findings seem to be the consequence of the correct use of both diagnostic and therapeutic tools in an organized and widely accessible healthcare system.

Introdução: Hemorragia digestiva alta não-hipertensiva (HDANH) é um problema de saúde cuja epidemiologia e prognóstico têm-se alterado ao longo dos anos. O principal objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a caracterização demográfica, etiologias e fatores de risco para HDANH. Métodos: Análise de dados clínicos, endoscópicos e prognóstico de doentes admitidos por HDANH entre janeiro/2016 e janeiro/2019 no serviço de urgência de um hospital terciário. Resultados: Foram incluídos 522 doentes, idade mediana de 71 anos, maioritariamente homens, com múltiplas comorbilidades. A maioria foi admitida diretamente, os restantes foram transferidos de outros hospitais. A doença-ulcerosa-péptica foi a causa mais frequente de HDANH, seguida pela etiologia neoplásica. Esofagogastroduodenoscopia foi realizada em menos de 12horas após admissão em 51.9%. Recidiva hemorrágica ocorreu em 6.9% e a taxa global de mortalidade foi 4.2%. Os doentes transferidos registaram um score Glasgow-Blatchford (GBS) superior, necessitaram mais frequentemente de transfusões, terapêutica endoscópica e cirúrgica, e apresentaram taxas superiores de recidiva hemorrágica, mas com mortalidade semelhante. O score Completo-Rockall (CRS) e o GBS foram preditores de terapêutica endoscópica. A necessidade de cirurgia esteve associada ao CRS. Os doentes com recidiva hemorrágica tiverem superiores score Rockall pre-endoscópico (RS), CRS e GBS. Mortalidade superior esteve associada a RS e CRS mais elevados. Discussão/Conclusão: O envelhecimento e o aumento das comorbilidades não se associaram a piores outcomes na HDANH. Estes achados parecem ser consequência do uso adequado de ferramentas diagnósticas e terapêuticas num sistema de saúde organizado e amplamente acessível.

Impact of Liver Test Abnormalities and Chronic Liver Disease on the Clinical Outcomes of Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the liver and the possibility of chronic liver disease (CLD) as a risk factor for COVID-19 severity is not fully understood. Our goal was to describe clinical outcomes of COVID-19 inpatients regarding the presence of abnormal liver tests and CLD. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalized in a tertiary center in Portugal, was performed. Studied outcomes were disease and hospitalization length, COVID-19 severity, admission to intensive care unit (ICU) and mortality, analyzed by the presence of abnormal liver tests and CLD. RESULTS: We included 317 inpatients with a mean age of 70.4 years, 50.5% males. COVID-19 severity was moderate to severe in 57.4% and critical in 12.9%. The mean disease length was 37.8 days, the median hospitalization duration 10.0 days and overall mortality 22.8%. At admission, 50.3% showed abnormal liver tests, and 41.5% showed elevated aminotransferase levels, from which 75.4% were mild. Elevated aminotransferase levels at admission were associated with COVID-19 severity (78.7 vs. 63.3%, p = 0.01), ICU admission (13.1 vs. 5.92%, p = 0.034) and increased mortality (25.8 vs. 13.3%, p = 0.007). However, in a subgroup analysis, only aspartate transaminase (AST) was associated with these worse outcomes. Alkaline phosphatase was elevated in 11.4% of the patients and was associated with critical COVID-19 (21.1 vs. 9.92%, p = 0.044) and mortality (20.4 vs. 9.52%, p = 0.025), while 24.6% of the patients showed elevated γ-glutamyl transferase, which was associated with ICU admission (42.3 vs. 22.8%, p = 0.028). Fourteen patients had baseline CLD (4.42%), 3 with liver cirrhosis. Alcohol (n = 6) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (n = 6) were the most frequent etiologies. CLD patients had critical COVID-19 in 21.4% (p = 0.237), mean disease length of 36.6 days (p = 0.291), median hospitalization duration of 11.5 days (p = 0.447) and a mortality rate of 28.6% (p = 0.595), which increased to 66.7% among cirrhotic patients (p = 0.176). CONCLUSIONS: Liver test abnormalities in COVID-19 patients were frequent but most commonly mild. AST, but not alanine transaminase, was associated with worse clinical outcomes, such as COVID-19 severity and mortality, probably indicating these outcomes were independent of liver injury. A low prevalence of CLD was seen, and a clear impact on COVID-19 outcomes was not seen.