Review of 502 patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding [Ust gastrointestinal sistem kanamali 502 hastanin degerlendirilmesi]

502 patients presented with upper gastrointestinal bleeding who were admitted to Ege University Gastroenterology Department in 1993-1995 were analyzed with respect to demographic data, symptomatology, etiology, treatment and outcome. 378 were male, 124 were female and the mean age was 53.6 ± 0.7. Of the patients with nonvariceal bleeding, 211 (50%) had a history of NSAID use. Ten patients had been using an anticoagulant drug. The presented bleeding was the first in 294 patients, the second in 114, the third in 35 and more in 59 patients. Of 464 patients (92%) in whom upper GI endoscopy was performed, 402 (80%) were examined within 24 hours. The most common causes of bleeding were duodenal ulcer (227 patients, 45%), gastric ulcer (89 patients, 17%), esophageal varices (80 patients, 15.8%), gastric mucosal erosion and gastritis (35 patients, 6.9%). Forty-five patients who did not respond to supportive measurement, drug treatment, sclerotherapy or Sengstaken-Blakemore tube application were transferred to the Department of Surgery; 31 (6.1%) were operated 26 patients (5.1%) died.