Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients with Chronic Renal Failure: What are the Particularities?

Abstract

Introduction: Upper Gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a major cause of mortality in patients with renal failure. The aim of our study is to determine the epidemiological, lesional and prognostic profile of UGIB in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Materials and Methods: This was a single-center study conducted from September 2017 to August 2023, including all patients with CKD admitted to the emergency department for upper GI bleeding who underwent Esogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). The various data were collected from endoscopy registries. Results: Of 662 patients admitted via the emergency department for UGIB, 59 cases of CKD (8.9%) were included, of which 43 cases were at the hemodialysis stage (72.88%). The mean age was 57.17 years, with a male predominance (sex ratio M/F 1.55). Isolated melena was the main reason for admission in 35 cases (59.32%), followed by hematemesis with melena in 9 cases (15.25%), and hematemesis without melena in 10 cases (16.94%), while massive rectal bleeding was present in 5 cases (8.47%). Esogastroduodenoscopy established the etiological diagnosis of UGIB in 40 cases (67.8%) and revealed the following lesions: 25 cases of peptic ulcer (62. 5%):2 cases (8%) of antral gastric ulcer,1 case (4%) of Forrest IIc bulbar ulcer, 12 cases (48%) of Forrest III bulbar ulcer and 10 cases (40%) of ulcerative bulbitis, 12 cases (30%) of gastric and duodenal angiodysplasia, 2 cases (5%) of Los Angelos grade B and C esophagitis and 1 case (2. 5%) of grade II of oesophageal varices ligatured in an unknown patient with portal hypertension. EGD was negative in 32.2% of cases. Conclusion: Upper GI bleeding is common in patients with chronic renal failure and is primarily caused by peptic ulcer disease and angiodysplasia.