Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding (UGIB) In A Resource Limited Setting Highly Endemic for Viral Hepatitis B: Which Etiologies for Which Real Clinical Practices? Volume 3 - Issue 2

Firmin Ankouane^1,2*, Mathurin Pierre Kowo^1,3, Antonin Wilson Ndjitoyap Ndam^1,4, Winnie Bekolo^5,6, Angèle Nadège Odjolo⁷, Raïssa Flore Tsakem Esobze⁷, Dominique Noah Noah^5,8, Servais Albert Fiacre Eloumou Bagnaka^5,9

• ¹Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.
• ²Yaounde Central Hospital, Cameroon.
• ³University Teaching Hospital Yaoundé, Cameroon.
• ⁴Yaoundé General Hospital, Cameroon.
• ⁵Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Cameroon.
• ⁶Douala General Hospital, Cameroon.
• ⁷University of the Mountains, Banganté, Cameroon.
• ⁸Laquintinie Hospital Douala, Cameroon.
• ⁹Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital Douala, Cameroon.

Received:June 09, 2021   Published: June 24, 2021

*Corresponding author:Firmin Ankouane, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.

DOI: 10.32474/CTGH.2021.03.000157

 

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Abstract

Aim : To determine the aetiologies of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in a setting highly endemic for hepatitis B and to describe actual clinical practices in a resource-limited setting.

Patients and methods: This study was conducted in two parts. The first part was retrospective from January 1st 2010, to December 31st 2019 on the epidemiological profile of UGIB and the second was a prospective study from December 1st 2017 to May 31st 2018 to evaluate, in a blinded experiment, the actual clinical practices in front of an acute UGIB at the emergency units in Yaounde (Cameroon), and included: recognizing UGIB, assessing for severity, taking emergency measures and prescribing emergency Eosogastroduodenal endoscopy (EGDE).

Results : During the retrospective period, 506 patients (prevalence of acute UGIB in the services 5.6%) were included of which 71.3% were men (sex ratio 2.5). The mean age was 49.9 +/- 8 years. Haematemesis was inaugural in 350 patients (69.1%), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were the main risk factor in 297 (43.6%), in 78 (15.4%), this was a second episode. Clinical parameters showed initial instability in 435 patients (85.9%) and haemoglobin (Hb) was <7g/dl in 359 (83.4%). EGDE was performed in 203 patients (40.2%), the main causes of UGIB were lesions of portal hypertension in 111 (44.7%), followed by peptic ulcers in 108 (43.5%). Treatment was mainly medical. However, 94 patients (84.7%) with portal hypertension lesions received endoscopic treatment, mainly by injection of sclerosing agent (69.1%), as well as 13 (1.2%) with peptic ulcers, mainly by isolated injection of dilute adrenaline (1: 10,000) in 11 (84.6%). A total of 75 patients (14.8%) died. The second part concerned 74 patients admitted for acute UGIB at the emergency services of five hospitals in Yaounde. To recognize UGIB, a digital rectal examination was done in 43 patients (58.1%), no patient received a nasogastric tube. For assessment of severity, blood pressure was taken in 73 patients (98.6%), pulse rate in 61 (82.4%), respiratory rate in 17 (23%), saturation in 17 (23%), no patient had prognostic scores in their record. For resuscitation measures, 10 patients (13.5%) received a double peripheral venous line, 20 (27%) were filled with crystalloids, restrictive blood transfusion (Hb < 7 g /dl) was carried out in 24 out of 27 patients (88.9%), 9 (12.2%) received nasal oxygen therapy. EGDE was carried out in 43 patients (60.6%), all beyond 24 hours and none had a prognostic score (Forrest or Rockall).

Conclusion: Rupture of oesogastric varices plays a significant role in the occurrence of UGIB in areas with high hepatitis B endemicity, with exceptional severity and high mortality among young people. The lack of qualified human resources and insufficient technical facilities constitute a serious problem. Locally applicable protocols are needed. In the long term, eliminating viral hepatitis B and C should reduce the prevalence of UGIB

Keywords:Gastrointestinal Bleeding; Hepatitis B Virus; Portal Hypertension; Limited Resources; Endoscopy; Clinical Practice.

Abstract| Background| Statistical Analysis| Results| Discussion| Conclusion| What Is Known| Relevance of the study| Abbreviations and acronyms| Declarations| References|