Examining the Frequency of Second Endoscopy and Its Effect on Patient Outcomes With Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Southeast of Iran

Abstract

Background: This study investigated the frequency and impact of repeat endoscopy in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) in a referral hospital in Southeast Iran. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted on the records of 190 patients who underwent endoscopy for AUGIB in 2019. The study compared the demographic and clinical characteristics, outcomes, and treatments of patients who had a second endoscopy (n=64) with those who did not (n=126). The data were analyzed with SPSS software, and a P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The results showed that repeat endoscopy was not significantly associated with age, gender, initial symptoms, bleeding site, first endoscopy time, or disease outcome. However, repeat endoscopy was significantly associated with higher bleeding severity, different wound types, different bleeding causes, longer hospital stay, and different treatments in the first endoscopy. The main reasons for repeat endoscopy were poor visibility and recurrent bleeding. The majority of repeat endoscopies were performed within 2 days of the first one. Most patients who had a second endoscopy did not receive any treatment, and those who did received combined thermal and epinephrine injections. Conclusions: The study concluded that routine second endoscopy is not necessary for all patients with AUGIB, but it may be beneficial for some cases. Further research is needed to clarify the indications and timing of repeat endoscopy in AUGIB.