JOMPAC
Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care

Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care (JOMPAC) is an open access scientific journal with independent, unbiased, and double-blind review under international guidelines. The purpose of JOMPAC is to contribute to the literature by publishing articles on health sciences and medicine.

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Original Article
Urea-to-hemoglobin ratio for patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding
Abstract
Aims: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding develops due to various pathologies in a wide region, including esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. The clinical presentation is highly variable between patients and can rapidly deteriorate and even be fatal without follow-up. Medical agents, endoscopic interventions, and surgery may be required in the treatment of the patient, and a high blood transfusion may be required. The accurate identification of patients who are at a higher risk and require immediate attention is crucial for the appropriate management of patient care. The ratio of urea to hemoglobin (UHR) has been identified as a potentially valuable tool for determining the necessity of endoscopy due to its simplicity, quick applicability, and reliability.
Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study in which 361 patients treated for upper gastrointestinal bleeding were investigated. Age and gender data, endoscopy records, and blood tests of the patients were analyzed within the scope of the study. Median UHR values were significantly higher in intensive care indication, endoscopic indications, and blood transfusion indications (p<0.05).
Results: The majority of patients were male, with 72.3%. The median age was 56 years (15-96). Peptic ulcer (70.9%) was the most common etiologic cause, and angioectasia (6.65%) was the second most common etiologic cause. Intensive care follow-up was required in 29.1%, erythrocyte replacement in 36.01%, and endoscopic treatment in 46.81% of patients. 13 patients died (3.6%). The median value was 58 for urea, 10.50 for hemoglobin and 5.75 for UHR.
Conclusion: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a variable and rapidly deteriorating clinical entity. Patients may not always be encountered under ideal conditions and may need to be managed with limited resources. Therefore, there is a need for easy-to-access, rapid, and reliable auxiliary techniques to differentiate patients who may need urgent treatment and interventions from others. Urea and Urea/hemoglobin ratio fulfill these requirements, and their significance in terms of upper gastrointestinal bleeding should be investigated.

Keywords : Gastrointestinal hemorrhage, peptic ulcer, emergency intervention, endoscopy, urea

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Article available in :
Volume 4, Issue 5, 2023
Page : 499-504
https://doi.org/10.47582/jompac.1350147
Article Information
Received : 25 Ağu 2023
Accepted : 26 Eyl 2023
Published : 27 Eki 2023
Corresponding Author :

Bayram Yeşil: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicice, Faculty of Medicine, Kırıkkale University, Kırıkkale, Turkey

[email protected]
Citation : Yeşil B, Sevim B. Urea-to-hemoglobin ratio for patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. J Med Palliat Care. 2023;4(5):499-504.

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