Is The Decline In Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Associated With The Lockdown During Pandemic Period Of COVID-19?

Aims The aim of this prospective cohort trial is to show the change trend of clinical, epidemiological and endoscopic characteristics of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) during the “lockdown” pandemic (COVID -19) compared to pandemic-free period.

Methods In our study we compared 42 patients from period of the „lockdown“ (from1st March to 30 th April 2020) with 103 patients from the pandemic-free period (from 1st March to 30th April 2019).

All of these patients were referred to University Hospital Center «Sestre Milosrdnice» with symptoms of bleeding from upper gastrointestinal tract. Urgent upper endoscopy performed within 24 hours of admission.

Results During the “lockdown” for COVID-19 pandemic period, the number of patients with UGIB was 2.5 times lower compared to pandemic-free period.(42 vs. 103 patients). The mostly of patients (about 90 %) have had non variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVB). During the “lockdown” significant reduction in relative number of patients with peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB) was not found (0.34 vs 0.44).

The percentage of patients with low-risk peptic ulcers (Forrest 2c and Forrest 3) was significantly higher in “lockdown” COVID – 19 pandemic group compared to pandemic-free group, respectively. (61.5 vs. 36.6 %, p <0.001). When comparing “lockdown” COVID – 19 pandemic and pandemic – free period, there was no observed difference in the recurrence of bleeding (7.7 vs 9.8 %), 15-day mortality (7.7 vs 7.3 %), in red blood cell transfusion(53.8 vs 56.1 %), fresh frozen plasma transfusion (23.1 % vs 12.2 %), and the length of hospital stay (8 vs 7 days). There was no surgical intervention in patients with PUB during the “lockdown” pandemic COVID – 19 period.

Conclusions During the “lockdown” pandemic of COVID -19 the number of patients with symptoms of UGIB was decreased without changing the proportion of individual types of NVB.

Citation Živković M, Budimir I, Ratkajec V et al. eP505 IS THE DECLINE IN ACUTE UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL BLEEDING ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOCKDOWN DURING PANDEMIC PERIOD OF COVID-19? Endoscopy 2021; 53: S265.

Publication History

Article published online:
19 March 2021